


Going Once, Twice, and Sold!

by fangirlsupreme



Category: Teen Wolf (TV)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Werewolves Are Known, Anal Fingering, Anal Sex, Auctions, Bottom Derek Hale, F/M, Falling In Love, Full Shift Werewolves, Hand Jobs, Human Trafficking, Humans vs. Werewolves, M/M, Non-Graphic Violence, Older Derek Hale, Oral Sex, Riding, Rimming, Scenting, Shower Sex, Soul Bond, Soulmates, Top Stiles Stilinski, Werewolves Are Superior Race, human slaves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-16
Updated: 2015-04-15
Packaged: 2018-03-23 04:37:32
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 12
Words: 142,960
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3754828
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fangirlsupreme/pseuds/fangirlsupreme
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In a universe where werewolves are the superior race and humans are on the run to avoid being sold as slaves, Stiles Stilinski doesn't exactly have an easy life. After being captured and brought to an auction house, he figures all that's left is for him to go out in a blaze of sharp wit and aggressive sarcasm. What he didn't count on was Derek Hale being the one to buy him. No, he most certainly didn't count on the two of them falling in love with each other.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> So this was something that was in my folder forever. I had written it ages ago with a partner and unfortunately we fell out of contact, so there's no real ending but I wanted to post it anyway. I wrote for Stiles and they wrote for Derek. I hope you guys like it!

Stiles spat on the bottom of his cage, trying to rid his mouth of the metallic taste of blood. There were upwards of twenty other cages exactly like his own. The auction house hadn’t opened yet, but they were minutes away from lifting the curtains and revealing the “merchandise”. Ever since werewolves emerged as the superior race, humans had been forced into obscurity, being sold off as pets to the high classes of werewolves. Stiles had been doing recon for his camp when he'd gotten caught, having just enough time to send out an emergency signal so everyone else could get away before being captured. Naturally, he hadn’t taken it very well. He began mouthing off immediately, fighting wherever he could and basically raising hell. The werewolves who had snatched him didn’t take kindly to that. They’d beat him until he couldn’t move without wincing, blood and bruises covering his body. He’d been changed into the typical auction house garb, but it was obvious to see that Stiles was damaged. Metal cuffs cut into his wrists, small trickles of blood sliding down his arms. Unlike the others, who Stiles had seen where free to wander their cages with their restraints on, Stiles had been secured to the roof of his own enclosure. It was just slightly taller than him, causing him to hang a bit instead of standing, strung up like a piece of meat on display, his toes just brushing the floor. He could feel himself getting lightheaded, but he refused to appear weak. He wouldn’t give them the satisfaction. One by one, Stiles heard the whoosh of curtains as the others before him were revealed and bid on, all of them being sold. All too soon, the curtain in front of Stiles was ripped away. He squinted into the sudden onslaught of light, his eyes slowly adjusting. "Well, this one still has plenty of life in him," the auctioneer joked with the crowd who laughed. Stiles glared at all of them, pulled hard against the restraints that held him. "Come a little closer and you'll see just how much life I have in me," Stiles snarled. The auctioneer raised his eyebrows. "And a mouth on him too," he said, "Taking that into account along with the fact that he was injured in transport, why don't we start low with $5,000 as the starting bid?" Stiles continued to struggle, a bitter smile coming onto his face. " 'Injured in transport' my ass," he called out from his spot in the cage, "Maybe if I'd gotten run over by a fucking car." The auctioneer ignored him, addressing the crowd once more. "He's a spirited one, but imagine how great it would feel to break him in,” he insisted, trying to entice the crowd into bidding. “Say another word and I’ll break your face!” Stiles yelled, pulling at his restraints towards where the auctioneer stood. Swallowing nervously, the auctioneer smiled out into the crowd. “A mere $5,000 for this fireball,” he tried, “It’s really a steal. As an added bonus, I’ll let you in on a secret: He’s a virgin.” Finally an indicator went up in the back. “Yes! We have a bid of $5,000 to the gentleman,” he called out, “Do I have $5,500?” Stiles ignored them now, focusing instead on trying to pull himself free.

Derek hated this whole thing. He hated what his kind was doing to humans. It was appalling and wrong. But his family was well respected and as the next in line to take over the family architecture business - Laura had declared she wanted to be a free artist and wouldn't take over - he had to hold up his family name. His mother and father had had humans working in the house since he was an infant. He had been cared for by a human nanny and had food made by their human housekeeper. Unlike other werewolf families, the Hales were never cruel to the humans in their employment. And it was employment. They had large expansive grounds and each human got his or her own space in the house, thresholds barred from werewolf entry without their permission so they could feel safe. They were given days off and paid a small fee each week that they could use as they pleased. Laura had dragged him along to the auction and Derek was convinced that he wouldn't buy anyone, but Laura insisted, showing him the catalogue and picking out pros and cons. Then Derek saw him - he was thin and gangly malnourished, but Derek felt that he would have been strong and supple given the proper care. He was feisty and disobedient and refused to bow down. Derek liked him. So when Deucalion bid on him - who was known for going through humans like potato chips, one being maimed or even killed at least once a month - Derek spoke up firmly. "Ten thousand," he bid despite his sister's disapproving hiss. He ignored her.

Against his will, Stiles' head shot up when he heard someone call out ten thousand. Ten thousand dollars? For him? Honestly, he was pretty bewildered. He had figured his behavior would scare away most buyers, seeing as everyone preferred their humans soft and submissive. Stiles definitely did not fit that description. The auctioneer, on the other hand, lit up with glee. He hadn't expected to get so much out of this one. "We have a bid of ten thousand dollars!" he called out excitedly, "Do I hear $10,500?" He looked back towards the original bidder expectantly. It seemed he was having some sort of conference with whoever had come with him. He moved to raise his indicator, but his companion held his arm down, glancing towards the new bidder and whispering in the man's ear again. With a sigh, the original bidder withdrew. "Alright," the auctioneer called, "We have ten thousand going once, twice, and sold to the gentleman. Please proceed to the collection area to pay and claim your item." A small boy, probably around fourteen went up to the man with a small card that had Stiles' number and his basic information, like hair color, eye color, weight and height. Stiles was not happy. He had figured he wouldn't be sold at all. He pulled hard at the restraints, rattling them, cutting into his skin but he didn't care. The sheet was thrown back over him and he was rolled away, taken to the back to be prepared. The back of his cage was open and his shackles taken off. Though he knew it was useless, Stiles made a run for it. He was tackled in less than two seconds. His hands were secured in front of him in tight cuffs that were welded together. A thick leather collar was placed around his neck, a chain leading from it like a leash. Stiles pulled and thrashed against his restraints, nearly choking himself in the process and definitely causing some bruising. He had to be dragged to the collection room, the bottoms of his bare feet cut up by his refusal to walk. Still, he was no match for the werewolves and soon he was standing in the plain room, awaiting his 'owner'.

Derek took the card with a muttered thanks to the young boy who flashed a wide smile before disappearing again. Laura glared at him and made Derek wait until she had bid and won the girl she'd had an eye on to be a nanny for her daughter while Laura was working. They headed off to the collection room together and Derek handed over his card to the man behind the counter. The boy he'd bought - Czesław Stilinski according to the card - was brought forward towards him looking worse for wear and Derek's eyes flashed crimson red at the betas holding the boy. "Release him," he demanded firmly. "The shackles, the collar. There is no need. He's a person not an animal." The workers looked perplexed and Laura just groaned heavily where she was signing off the paperwork. The werewolf behind the counter bristled but they were all betas and did as Derek asked, removing the leather collar and metal shackles from his hands and feet. Derek looked the boy - Man, he corrected mentally - in the eye seriously. "Run and I will catch you," he warned before turning to the desk to pay his fee and sign the registration paperwork that said Derek took full ownership - god he hated that - and responsibility for the actions of the human. When they were done he turned to Laura who was smiling at a shy girl in front of her, no older than fifteen. No wonder Laura wanted her, Laura had always been very vocal about how much she despised the fact that humans could be sold as young as fourteen, females as young as twelve. It drove her mad and she'd practically snatched up all of them that appeared at auction. Laura voiced that she was ready and Derek turned to Czesław. "Come on. We can pick up food on the way home," he said, aiming for friendly but knowing he probably missed by a mile. He'd never been good with people, werewolf or human it didn't matter. His social skills left a lot to be desired. He'd rather be left alone to sketch or mess with his computer. 

Stiles was admittedly surprised when the werewolf who had bought him not only demanded that he be released, claiming that he was a person, but was an alpha as well. He’d never heard of a werewolf treating a human like that, let alone an alpha. Most of them seemed to think the humans were little better than commonplace pets. He rubbed his wrists gingerly, being careful not to agitate the cuts that were already there from all his struggling. Despite the kindness, Stiles would not let his guard down. He couldn’t afford to. He knew for a fact that he was going to try to run, even if there was nowhere to go, even if it was a sure thing that he would be caught. Stiles didn’t care. He wasn’t going to take this sitting down. He eyed the woman that had come in with him. She had purchased someone as well, someone much less vocal, much less bruised. Stiles was thankful that the werewolves at least didn’t seem like complete monsters, and he hoped this girl would be okay. He didn’t hold much hope for himself. Not with the way he planned on acting. He barely held back a scoff at the man’s mention of picking up food. “Yeah, you gonna stop at the edge of the highway and go pick up a rabbit for us?” Stiles bit out scathingly as he began to follow the two werewolves and the girl out of the room, “Maybe a deer if you’re feeling generous.” He hissed quietly when he took the first step, hoping that none of them had heard. He had torn up his feet worse than he thought. Running on the asphalt was going to be a bitch, but that wasn’t going to stop Stiles from doing it. He saw the girl turn around and give him a panicked look, like she was afraid that his bad behavior would result in her being punished as well. Stiles ignored her and stayed alert, waiting for an exit that he could use to cross his path. 

"Don't be silly," Laura told Czesław easily, not turning to look at him as they headed out. She had a gentle hand on the girl's back as she led the way outside and finally shot Czesław a sly little smirk. "It's not deer season yet. That's for Christmas," she said with a sarcastic little smirk as a sleek black car - obviously worth a pretty penny - pulled up to the curb. "Well, this is us, Aylee. After you, please," she said to the young girl with honey blonde hair. The girl shot Czesław a small shocked look, almost begging him to tell her what was going on and why she was being treated so kindly when they had only ever been promised pain. She got into the car though and Laura turned to Derek, kissing his cheek. "Be good, Derek. Family dinner on Friday night, don't forget," she told him before looking at Czesław. "If he misbehaves just smack him on the nose with a rolled up newspaper. Our parents never quite properly trained him." She winked playfully before waving again and sliding into the car. Derek only sighed heavily and promised to be at dinner before waving them off. "Pay no mind to her. That's my sister, Laura. She's...different," he said before turning to face his new...person. He didn't want to say slave. That would be wrong. Czesław was a person not a thing. He furrowed his brows when he saw the way Czesław held himself, his wrists and the way he stood. "Are you in pain?" he asked, finally registering the scent of blood for what it was - Czesław's and not the general stench of the auction house that Derek so despised. 

Stiles’ mouth dropped open in a soundless laugh, disbelief clear on his face. In all honesty, he could definitely say that he liked Laura. She was witty and sarcastic, not unlike Stiles himself. His heart dropped when he saw the look that the young girl gave him, and he tried to offer her a reassuring smile before she disappeared into the car. It was then that it hit him that they were outside. He had been so caught off guard by Laura’s willingness to banter with him, that he had gotten completely distracted enough to forget to run. His body tensed and he was seconds away from launching into a sprint when he heard the man, Derek, speak. Stiles couldn’t hold back a snort. “’Am I in pain?’” he repeated mockingly, “What kind of question is that? Of course I’m in pain. Getting beaten tends to do that.” Admittedly, he was only bleeding in two major spots, his wrists and his feet, and those were self-inflicted wounds, but still. Everything else from the past few days had faded to a dull ache that he was more or less completely used to. Stiles looked Derek over. He was a pretty big man, clearly built, and he was an alpha. Stiles had no chance. He knew that his opportunities to escape would get fewer and farther in between the longer he waited, but he was nothing if not a strategist. All running would accomplish would be to give Stiles more injuries and piss Derek off. If Stiles waited until he healed, that would give him time to plan and gather supplies. Judging by how Derek had acted thus far, Stiles wasn’t going somewhere overly terrible. He made the decision to wait, but that didn’t mean he wasn’t going to be stubborn. 

Derek frowned at Czesław’s derisive snort but he was right of course; someone with a mouth like Czesław wouldn't be tolerated well by the sellers. Of course he had been mistreated and Derek didn't blame him at all for assuming the same might be inflicted by Derek. So carefully he offered his hand palm up to show Czesław he meant no harm and raised his brows. "May I?" He asked politely, not wanting to touch Czesław against his will though he knew many others who wouldn't hesitate to grab at him. Though none would have quite the same ends in mind as Derek did. In the laws written by werewolves, humans had almost no rights. The only rules in place to protect them were that their owners, without proof that they’d made a first move, couldn’t kill them. Of course in their society it was easy to take a werewolf's word over a human’s and so many human murders went unpunished. Derek didn't know what he'd been thinking when he bought this man, only that he wished not to see him harmed. There was something about him. And even if it took months or years, Derek would get the man to trust him somehow. Someway. Derek wasn't naive enough to think that they could be friends; partially because Derek didn't have many friends and those he acquired had been accidental, but mostly because he could tell that Stiles pretty much despised Derek's kind, as he should. Derek hated his kind too sometimes. Perhaps- but no, Derek couldn't think that way. Not yet. So he just looked at Czesław calmly and wondered if he might allow Derek the simple touch that would ease his pain. He wondered if Czesław even knew werewolves were just as capable of absorbing pain as they were of inflicting it. 

Stiles stared at Derek’s hand as though it would catch fire at any second, though he was surprised that he bothered to ask. The information that humans had on werewolves was extremely limited. Most people simply knew that they had risen quickly to power and were faster, stronger, and were equipped with fangs and claws. There was nowhere to find anything else. Not if you were normal. Of course, when has Stiles ever been considered normal. He had managed to scrounge up little tidbits. He knew that wolfsbane was highly toxic to them in all its forms. He knew that they could shift whenever they felt like, though certain things did cause them to have less control. He knew that alphas went through a full transformation that changed their bone structure and not just their faces. He knew that when a pack mate was in danger or pain, they could relieve them of it, though he didn’t know how. He had paid handsomely for all these facts, but he never thought it wasn’t worth it. Knowledge was power. “No, you may not,” Stiles answered bluntly. He had no idea what Derek wanted to do, and without knowing he wouldn’t let it happen. Besides, he didn’t want to appear weak. Stiles could take care of himself without any help from a werewolf. “If you were serious about feeding me, I suggest you get on with it before I chew my own foot off,” Stiles said, simply as a way to change the subject and maybe get things moving. As much as he didn’t want to go with Derek, he wanted to stay here even less. 

Derek frowned but nodded as he curled his fingers in towards his palm into a loose fist before letting it drop to his side. "As you wish. I was going to offer to relieve some of your pain but if you'd rather endure it, I respect your decision," he said courteously, a little more formal than the situation strictly called for but he wasn't sure what the situation did call for so he was at a loss. All the humans his family had ever employed were happy to be there with them, and cared about Derek and his family as if they were all family. It felt like it sometimes and Derek forgot how awful the world really was. He inclined his head gently and held out a hand in indication this time. "Of course. What kind of food do you like?" he asked, leading the way to a beat up old Chevy truck, red in color but a bit rusted in places. It had clearly seen better days. "There's Chinese or Mexican though the Mexican food around here is crap. You have to go as far as San Diego if you want to get good food unless you know how to make it. We can take it to go if that's alright with you and I'll help you get settled in. Kenna can look at your wrists and feet if you wish. She's good with that sort of thing." He unlocked the doors of the car and opened the passenger door for Czesław before rounding to his own side to get in. He started the car and then looked over to his...companion. "How do you pronounce your name? Chess-law? That's probably not right is it?"

Stiles could see the blatant disappointment on Derek’s face and he didn’t really know how to feel about that. He did, however, bristle at what sounded like a dig at Stiles’ ability to endure pain. Of course, it could have been nothing, but when was it ever nothing with werewolves. He made a face at Derek as soon as he turned around. It was childish and stupid, but it made Stiles feel better, so he didn’t care. Again, he found himself surprised by Derek’s kindness, offering to let Stiles make the decision as to where they ate. He couldn’t remember the last time he had gotten real food that wasn’t found in the forest or stolen from a nearby farm. “If you can get me to a joint where I can get a bag of curly fries to go, then we’re good,” Stiles said honestly, not really expecting Derek to take him seriously. He climbed into the car gingerly, still aching all over, idly wondering who Kenna was when he suddenly caught up with what Derek was saying. His name. Stiles’ eyes went dark, his face going stormy. Without thinking of the consequences, Stiles was leaning over the center console, getting in Derek’s face threateningly. “Only two people in the world use that name and those were my parents,” he nearly growled, “If you use it again, I swear I will find some way to kill you.” Stiles’ parents had named him after Stiles’ mother’s father. He remembered being teased about it by other kids his age, so he came up with a nickname for himself, but Stiles’ mother would still call him Czesław. It became their little secret, the little family of three. It reminded Stiles of happier times, times before his mother had been killed and his father turned hard. He sat back down in his seat, slumping down, angrily crossing his arms across his chest. “If you need to call me something, call me Stiles,” he muttered. He had no idea when the auction house even got his real name out of him, and he had no clue that they told the buyers. 

Derek's first instinct when Czesław was abruptly in his face was to attack but he only got as far as letting his eyes flash a dangerous red before he got a hold of himself and looked away out the other window. He took a deep steadying breath. It had only been a year that he'd been an alpha; he was never meant to be one. Laura was going to be alpha and Derek her beta, but a rogue alpha had put an end to that plan when Derek was forced to kill him and his blue eyes turned red. Laura did what she could to teach him and so did his parents but it was still difficult. He turned back to Cze- to Stiles and gave him an apologetic look. "I'm sorry. I wasn't aware," he apologized genuinely and ducked his head slightly. "Stiles it is then. As for the curly fries, there's a diner along the way that makes the best hamburgers and curly fries if you're interested. My father used to take me there after school sometimes as a kid." He started the engine and waited until Stiles' seatbelt was on before taking off. Derek relaxed visibly the further and further they got from the auction house until he could finally breathe easier. Bad memories were tied to that place and Derek had no care to be there unless he was forced. For a moment he couldn't help but let her face enter his mind's eye. Long dark hair and chocolate eyes and a small freckle beneath her eye and pink cheeks. He missed her terribly and guilt took hold just briefly until he pushed it all away and buried it up. 

Stiles stared stubbornly out the window, not willing to believe that anything Derek was saying was sincere. It was just his anger and sadness blinding him, and Stiles knew that, but he really didn’t care. He didn’t want to hear about Derek’s favorite diner or his family or his childhood. He didn’t want to hear about anything that made Derek even remotely human. Derek was a werewolf. Derek was his owner, a monster, and Stiles had to hate him. If Stiles didn’t hate him, it would make things incredibly difficult in the future. He bounced his leg slightly despite the pain, drumming his fingers on his thigh. It was silent in the car for a good while, neither of them choosing to speak. Somewhere in the back of his mind where he was being rational, Stiles knew that Derek hadn’t used his name on purpose. It had just been so long since he heard it said innocently, without fear or panic or anger. It brought him memories that he did not care to share with a werewolf. Stiles managed to remain silent for a half hour before his ADHD finally got the best of him. “So why did you want your very own human?” Stiles huffed, managing to sound derogatory and curious at the same time. He knew what humans were often used for, but it was clear that Derek and his family was different. Derek’s treatment of Stiles despite how rude and disobedient he had been showed that rather clearly. With any other werewolf, Stiles would probably be unconscious by now from the beating. 

"I didn't," Derek answered automatically with a roll of his eyes and he was being honest. He hadn't wanted to buy anyone. He had one person at home who had chosen to leave with him from his childhood house to his new house a bit away from his family. They had been friends as children and Derek enjoyed being around Kenna and vice versa. She helped around the house sure, helped with the laundry and made sure Derek ate when he went into one of his work induced trances where he'd hardly leave his office for days as inspiration struck and all he wanted to do was sketch until he had the blueprints perfected. They were friends and cohabitants but they'd never been more than that. Kenna's heart belonged to another who remained at his parents at their home and when time came, Derek thought of offering the bite - the only way to free a human of their servitude in the eyes of the law - but Kenna chose to stay with Derek so he let her, enjoyed her friendship. "My sister," he explained with gritted teeth, "thought I needed to make an appearance, uphold our good family name since I'll be taking over the business next month. I hate auction houses and the sale of humans. Of anyone. They treat you like animals and it's disgusting." The steering wheel creaked under the strain of Derek's grip and he made a conscious effort to let go, taking a deep breath. "There was something about you. You're different than the others, smart; you’re your own person. You don't take shit and I admired that. You deserve more than the beatings you would get if Deucalion had won you. He's an awful person and no one should go into his service. I'd like to render his head from his shoulders but unfortunately that would be...looked down upon." He rolled his eyes again and pulled into the parking lot of a little fifties style diner with a mint green and pale pink paint job. 

Stiles was taken aback by Derek’s answer. It was definitely not what he had expected to hear. Every werewolf wanted a human, whether to use as labor or for other unsavory purposes. If Derek didn’t want him in the first place, then what was Stiles going to be used for? The fact that he had no idea what to expect worried Stiles. Every werewolf was supposed to be the same except this one apparently. It got him wondering as to who exactly Derek was, especially the comment about his family name. Humans weren’t very tapped into the politics and current events of the werewolves, not since they had been forced out of polite society. After that, there was no need to keep up, just to stay alive. Derek must be someone important though, or his family must be if he was willing to go to the auction house, despite how much he apparently hated it. The threat towards the other bidder, Deucalion, was also unexpected. Stiles couldn’t be sure, but it sounded as though there might be some kind of history going on there. He stored that away for later use and looked up at the diner that they had just pulled into the parking lot for. “You want me to go in there looking like this?” Stiles asked Derek incredulously, eyebrows raised. He was still wearing the thin clothing provided by the auction house, just a simple grey top and bottom, but it was clear where he had just been. His wounds had stopped bleeding for the most part, but it was still clear that he was recently injured and his skin was still mottled with bruises from the days before, ranging from a healing yellow to a dark purple. He knew that werewolves sometimes had humans that traveled with them to continue to service them throughout the day, but it was blatantly clear that Stiles was not one of those humans, nor would he ever let himself be. 

Derek could smell the shock coming off of Stiles with his words and then the anxiety, the worry. He guessed it was from the uncertainty; not knowing what Derek would want him for if he didn't want him for sex or manual labor. And really Derek wanted him for neither of those things. Just companionship maybe. Stiles could spend his days as he liked as long as he didn't run or get into trouble; Derek had yard space if he wanted to garden or could acquire any art supplies or books Stiles wanted. He just wanted to show Stiles that life wasn't as bad as he thought. Why he'd chosen Stiles specifically was beyond Derek but he couldn't decide on a reason just yet so he put it out of his head. Derek frowned when Stiles brought up the subject of his appearance because while it wasn't uncommon for werewolves to keep their humans in plain ugly clothing like the rags the auction house puts them in Derek wouldn't subject Stiles to that. It was humiliating, he knew. He glanced over his shoulder to the back seat and found the over night bag he kept with him just in case, for the nights he crashed at his parents or one of his siblings. The clothes there were clean and Derek reached for the bag, setting it on the console before opening his door. "Take what you want. There's clothes and shoes. I can- I can help with the bruises if you'd allow me to, the pain. But I understand if you would prefer I didn't touch you."

Stiles considered not taking the bag and being a stubborn little shit, but he was getting cold and there were probably heavier clothes in the bag. His mind briefly wandered to something he had heard about scenting, but he didn’t dwell on it. Scenting was something werewolves did with their packs, not with random humans that they picked up at auction houses for no particular purpose. That still bothered Stiles. Knowledge was power and this is one situation where he did not have the proper knowledge. After staring out the front windshield stubbornly for a few minutes, Stiles finally sighed and tugged the bag into his lap. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to wear shoes, not with the way his feet were. He still didn’t want to ask Derek to relieve the pain. He didn’t want to seem weak or like he needed to werewolf for anything. He pulled out a dark red long sleeve shirt and a pair of sweatpants. Derek was larger than him and jeans wouldn’t work out. At least with the sweatpants he could tie them tighter. Stiles had no qualms about undressing in front of others, having had to do it for most of his life. He stripped off his shirt, revealing his severely bruised torso for all of two seconds before he pulled the other shirt on. The pants took a little more wiggling, but eventually he was out of the auction house bottoms and into Derek’s sweatpants. He tied them tightly so they wouldn’t fall. After a quick glance at his feet, Stiles reached back in and found a black pair of socks. He hissed in pain when he pulled them on and knew for sure that he wouldn’t be able to get shoes on. “Alright, I’m good. Let’s go,” Stiles said, flicking the lock on the door and opening his side of the car. 

Derek waited patiently for Stiles outside of the car, keeping his back to it to give him some privacy. When he heard the door open and his locks click, he offered Stiles a small rare smile that softened his features and hesitated before offering his hand again. They were out of sight of the windows, hidden between two cars off to the side. "Please, may I help? I don't want you to be hurting when I could do something for it," he asked gently, wanting to phrase the question more like it would be for his own well being instead of Stiles'. He thought he might have a better chance of getting him to agree that way. "I won't- I wouldn't think any less of you. I already know you're strong. Stronger probably than most people I know. I just want to help. Besides," he added with a quirk of his lips hesitantly. "I should at least introduce myself properly and shaking hands is polite, right?"

Stiles stared at Derek's hand, eyebrows raised. "I'm a teenager. Polite isn't in my vocabulary," he said with a huff. Still, Derek stood there, hand outstretched, with this weird, soft, hopeful look on his face. Stiles didn't want to admit that it was getting to him, but it was kind of getting to him. He stood there, arms crossed over his chest for a good two minutes before he let out a long suffering sigh, as if this was the most inconvenient thing to ever happen to him. He took Derek's hand roughly. "Hi, I'm Stiles Stilinski," he said in an exaggeratedly cheery voice, "I have ADHD and I love making new friends." He knew that he was being an asshole, but he couldn't help it. Sarcasm was his only defense and he completely planned on using it until his dying breath. Werewolves had claws. Stiles had words. Not exactly on the same level, but Stiles' mouth had gotten him out of trouble just about as many times as it had gotten him into trouble in the first place. Stiles' stomach chose then to growl loudly, reminding him that he hadn't been fed properly in a few days. A piece of bread here, a sliver of meat there. Not enough for a growing teenage boy. 

Derek waited, just hoping that Stiles might give in though he supposed that giving in didn't really seem like it was in Stiles' nature. Derek was about to relent and take his hand back before Stiles finally placed his hand in Derek's roughly. Derek could hear the sarcasm clearly and he dared anyone not to but he didn't comment. It was a defense mechanism he was sure. As soon as Stiles' hand touched his, Derek curled his fingers around his palm softly and his veins rolled black under his skin, on display where his crisp white button down was rolled up over his forearms. "My name is Derek Hale. Twenty-three, loner, loser, complicated wreck. My sisters say I have social problems but I'd just rather be alone than play nice with a race I loathe entirely aside from my few friends and ridiculous family but that I just happen to have been born into." Taking away Stiles' pain was easy but Derek went a step further, tapping into his fountain of alpha power and healing away the dark bruising that Derek could only imagine how much it must ache. It wasn't painful for Derek, merely unpleasant like his blood had been replaced by tar and sand and gravel, running through his veins and absorbing into his fast healing body. At least Derek was good for this much. He liked lessening his pain. It was maybe the only thing he liked about being a werewolf. 

Stiles stared at Derek, only belatedly realizing that he was doing so. He hadn’t expected the werewolf to give out so much personal information in one shot. Derek seemed to like doing things that Stiles wasn’t expecting. He thought about returning the favor and telling Derek a few more things about him, but he decided against it. If Derek knew his first name, then he already knew plenty, or the basics at least. Stiles suddenly noticed the distinct lack of pain on his person and looked down to see the black that had just started fading away from Derek’s veins as he finished. This was more than just a lack of pain. Stiles ripped his hand away and yanked the front of his shirt up. All his bruises were gone. He could still feel that his feet were torn up, but he couldn’t feel the pain that was supposed to go with it. Stiles pulled his shirt back down and stared at Derek like he was a puzzle that Stiles just couldn’t figure out. “Let’s get some food,” he finally mumbled, waiting for Derek to lead the way into the diner. Stiles may be a fighter, but he wasn’t stupid. Walking into that diner without Derek taking him in would be asking for death. 

Derek watched Stiles watch him and then let Stiles rip his hand away, examining his skin where the dark bruises were supposed to be but were now left mostly unblemished. It had zapped a bit of Derek's energy to do it but he was glad he had. He wanted to show Stiles that he really didn't mean him any harm at all. He just wanted to help. When Stiles said they should get some food Derek relented and walked close beside Stiles as they headed quietly for the door. When they opened it the smell of delicious food engulfed them but then a derisive laugh echoed up and Derek tensed. 

"Well, well, Derek," Deucalion said in his stupid accent Derek hated as he stood from a table and approached him and Stiles. "I do see you seem to have stolen away one of the dogs I wanted." His sneer was haughty and angry and Derek put himself between Deucalion and Stiles. 

"If you lay a finger on him I'll make sure your head is completely freed of your body," he growled dangerously as ocean eyes bled scarlet. He felt three presences appear behind Stiles and knew that his pack had shown up just in time. 

"Relax, Derek. I won't take him from you. I'm sure you'll have lots of fun with that tight virgin ass of his. Be sure to let me know how sweet he is. Maybe you'll let me have a go when you're through with him," Deucalion taunted and Derek's claws came out. 

"No one is touching him. Not you or I or any of my betas. He is a person and he gets to choose who touches him, if anyone," Derek snarled just as Frank appeared and Derek relaxed. 

"Get out of my diner, Duke. You know you're not allowed in here," the man growled, eyes flashing blue and not as impressive but Deucalion growled lowly. 

"Fine," he snapped and smiled sickly sweet at Stiles. "If you ever want to know what it's like to be with a real man, look me up," he purred and Derek snapped his teeth but a hand curling into his bicep stopped him from going any further as Deucalion and his friends disappeared out the doors with their Styrofoam cups. 

Stiles would deny until he dying breath that he had been scared, but anyone listening to his heart would have been able to tell immediately. That had to be the man that had made the first bid for him. Stiles had to say, he was more than a little bit grateful that it was Derek wound up getting him. If he had to choose someone to own him between Derek and Deucalion, he would choose Derek in a heartbeat. Stiles felt slimy even just having the guy talk to him. 

“I’ve got your favorite table open,” the man who had intervened said, speaking to Derek. Stiles followed wordlessly, still honestly a little bit shaken. He often forgets that he really his just words. He could threaten and yell all he wanted, but at the end of the day, Stiles had very little means to accomplish his ends. Two menus were placed in front of them and Stiles immediately grabbed his, staring at it with way too much concentration. When he felt like Derek wouldn’t be looking, he peeked over the top of his menu at the werewolf. The vicious protectiveness towards Stiles that Derek had just displayed had caught him completely by surprise. Sure, he had caught on that Derek was nice and all that, but he had just threatened to kill a guy in front of a diner full of people and that was before Deucalion had really even said anything. Stiles knew he should say thank you. It was common courtesy, especially since he never thanked Derek for healing his wounds. He tried to work himself up to it, but he just couldn’t bring himself to say the words. Instead, Stiles looked back down at the menu. 

“What are you gonna order?” he heard himself ask Derek. It had been a long time since he had had any of these foods. He could remember the ghosts of what they tasted like, but not the real things. He knew he would probably end up with a burger and some kind of curly fries, but Stiles found himself wanting to know what Derek liked to eat. 

Derek was still practically shaking and there was still a warm hand on his arm. He took several deep breaths and his eyes faded back to normal, claws retracting to human bluntness along with his canines. He turned back to see Boyd, Isaac, and Erica looking at him with concern, Erica's hand the one gripping his arm. He gave them a reassuring nod before following Frank to the table away from his betas who hovered a moment before disappearing out the door. He let a hand hesitate at Stiles' back protectively but didn't touch him without his permission, allowing him to sit first before taking his own seat. He glared at the menu and took several deep breaths, trying to calm himself down. He could hear Stiles' heart racing with fear in his chest and it made Derek want to take him and leave. "I don't know," he answered honestly when Stiles asked what he was getting. He could hardly read the words on the menu and had to press's the heels of his palms into his eyes for a long few seconds. "Probably a bacon cheese burger. Would you like to get this to go? We don't have to stay," he asked, looking up at Stiles with some obvious concern in his expression. None of the others in the diner were even daring to look over or whisper about Derek's human for fear of him turning his wrath on them and Derek was glad for it. He didn't know why he was so protective; he'd do the same for Kenna but he'd known her since they were infants when she was born to one of their human housekeepers and Derek's parents let her be raised there with Derek and his siblings. 

Stiles could feel an immense amount of tension in the restaurant. No one was looking at them, but no one was speaking either. It was strange and Stiles didn’t like it. He wanted to know whom those random people were that came in behind Derek. He hadn’t seen them before and he had no idea where they had even come from. It was easy to see that Derek was still incredibly stressed but Stiles couldn’t pinpoint the cause. He had just barely felt Derek’s hand hovering behind him when they were walking, but he never actually touched Stiles. The things that Stiles didn’t know or was unsure of were piling up and he didn’t like it. “Yeah,” he finally said with a small nod, “Two of those, some curly fries, and some drinks to go sounds like that would be a great idea.” He could feel his tongue itching in his mouth to speak and he knew that he was about to start rambling any second. “Yup so that’s what we should do,” he said again, “Not that this wouldn’t be a nice place to sit and eat and all, but it feels a little weird don’t you think? Definitely weird. Yup. So, if you’ve got all that is it cool if I wait by the car. I think I’m gonna wait by the car, it’s getting a little stuffy in here. Can you feel it or is it just me? Don’t forget the curly fries.” Stiles was out of the restaurant like a shot, not waiting for Derek to respond. He pushed open the door, walking quickly towards the car. He could feel his heartbeat racing and his breath quickening and he knew what the beginnings of a panic attack felt like. He’d had enough of them to know. He wasn’t sure what had set this one off, but sometimes it was nothing and they just happened. Stiles found himself crouching down on the asphalt next to the car, head between his knees as he tried to calm down. 

Derek could hear Stiles' heart race and all he could do was widen his eyes as Stiles babbled and then took off. He thought of going after him, worried that he might bolt. But Stiles paused at the car so Derek let it go, waving the waitress over. He ordered their burgers and fries and sodas, soup and salad for Kenna because that was her favorite and she'd be mad at Derek if he didn't bring her food, and then waited.   
Outside, Boyd, Erica, and Isaac hadn't been far just in case and Erica hopped out of the car when she saw Stiles collapse by the truck. She told the boys to wait so they wouldn't all scare him and approached Stiles, kneeling next to him but not touching. "Hi, you must be Stiles. I'm Erica," she told him gently, kneeling closely but being careful not to touch. "It's okay, you're gonna be fine. Derek won't let anything happen to you okay? Just take a deep breath with me. Can you do that? I used to be human too. It's okay. I won't hurt you. Just take a breath with me okay? If you don't breathe you might pass out and then Derek will panic over you the rest of the day. C'mon." She waited until he looked at her and took a deep inhale and then exhaled slowly, trying to coax Stiles into matching it, to calm him down. She knew what it was like not to have control over her own body, to be sold into a werewolf's care and be scared out of her mind. Luckily it had been Laura who'd bought her and then Derek who'd offered the bite, taking Erica in and protecting her, teaching her. 

Stiles looked at the girl who had come seemingly from nowhere, though if he was thinking logically he would be able to guess that she had probably come from one of the other cars in the lot. If he was thinking, he would recognize her from the trio inside, though he had only glanced at them briefly. He knew that this girl, Erica, was right. He could already feel himself getting lightheaded from his rapid breathing, but not knowing the cause of his panic attack made it a lot harder to calm down. He stared at Erica almost desperately, trying as hard as he could to mimic her breathing, but he just couldn’t do it. He shook his head, trying to signal to her that it wasn’t working. He gripped at his head desperately. His vision was starting to tunnel; all he could hear was the blood rushing past his ears. It was like everything that he couldn’t worry about before was suddenly piling onto him, everything that he couldn’t show his father he was scared of, everything that he tried to hide was just pouring itself into this one panic attack. His hands were trembling and he could feel tears stinging at the corners of his eyes. He hated this. This made him weak. It made him vulnerable. That was the last thing he remembered thinking before his body finally just cut out and he went unconscious. His brain needed oxygen and it decided that it would get more if Stiles wasn’t awake.


	2. Chapter 2

Derek should've been keeping an ear out for Stiles' heartbeat but it wasn't familiar enough yet for him to try to pick up. So he waited inside for their food, leaning against the counter with an annoyed scowl on his face. 

Outside Erica was panicking because Stiles had collapsed onto the asphalt. Boyd and Isaac piled out of the car and Erica maneuvered herself to sit behind Stiles so he was leaning back against her chest. She rubbed his back and shoulders and arms and Boyd and Isaac placed hands on either arm, absorbing the rest of the pain Derek hadn't. Together they managed to heal the cuts on Stiles' wrists at least most of the way so that all that were left were long mostly healed scabs but they both had to pull back, breathing heavily. That was how Derek found them. 

"What the hell happened?" he growled as his eyes flashed red. 

"It wasn't us, he was having a panic attack," Erica explained with obvious worry in her voice and Derek growled softly but knew it was the truth. 

"Help me get him to the truck. We need to get him home," he said, unlocking the car. He lifted Stiles gently from Erica's arms and she scrambled around the car to open the door, letting Derek set him in and then helping to buckle him up. "Meet me at the house alright?" The three betas nodded and stood off to the side as Derek pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the road, speeding towards his house. Stiles was still out as Derek drove through the massive wrought iron gates laced in wolfsbane and mountain ash to keep unwanted werewolves out. Derek got out of the car as Boyd's large SUV pulled in behind him and he picked Stiles out of the car tenderly, carrying him into the house. The doors flew open and Kenna rushed out, grabbing things from Derek's car and following them all inside where Derek lay Stiles down on the large soft couch. Kenna threw a blanket over him and tucked it around and Derek ordered the betas into the kitchen to give Stiles space. He hesitated and then looked to Kenna who had questions in her brown eyes. 

"He had a panic attack after Deucalion saw us at the diner. Just… stay with him until he wakes up? I think he would be more comfortable waking to another human instead of one of us," Derek told her and she nodded, giving him a quick hug which he returned. "And look at his feet too okay? They were pretty torn up."

"Okay," she nodded quietly and smiled gently before going to get her first aid kit and then sitting down on the floor by the couch, waiting for Stiles to wake. Derek hesitated before going out of the living room and into the kitchen. The betas were all tense but Erica was biting at her thumbnail nervously while Derek put the kettle on. 

"Calm down, the lot of you," he grumbled huffily as he sat down at the kitchen table. "He'll be fine. It was a panic attack." 

Being unconscious was a lot less like sleeping than Stiles would like. It was more like drowning. The darkness was surrounding you, dragging you down, further and further from the light of consciousness. Stiles fought against it, struggling to wake up. When the body put itself under, it took a little more to wake up, at least in Stiles’ experience. He was vaguely becoming more and more lucid, and the more awake he became the more he realized that he had no idea where he was. Without warning, Stiles jerked awake, his heart racing his eyes wide. 

“Dad,” Stiles breathed, shooting up into a sitting position. He realized quickly that he was in a living room of some kind. There was a woman by his side with kind eyes and a soft smile. There was something that was undeniably human about her and it made Stiles feel a little calmer. Still, he was a bit on edge, not liking that he was somewhere unfamiliar. He didn’t know where the exits were, he didn’t know the layout of the place, and it made him nervous. 

“I’m sorry, but your father isn’t here,” she said quietly, offering Stiles a drink of water. Stiles accepted it, taking a small sip before handing it back. He knew himself and he was often nauseous after panic attacks and he didn’t want to puke all over himself. He was already embarrassed enough for having a panic attack in front of people he didn’t know, especially werewolves. 

“Where am I?” he asked, looking around the opulent room. Someone with a lot of money had clearly lavishly furnished it. He remembered the auction house and Derek and the diner, but nothing after that. It was logical to assume that this was Derek’s house, but Stiles felt more comfortable asking just in case. 

“Derek’s house,” the woman answered kindly, moving down to what it seemed she had been doing previously, which was tending to Stiles’ feet. He hissed at the feeling of the antiseptic. 

“Who are you?” Stiles asked soon after, “And where is he?” Despite how Derek behaved, Stiles wasn’t entirely comfortable not knowing where the werewolf was. 

“My name is Kenna,” she said with a smile, continuing to bandage up Stiles’ feet. 

"He's awake," Erica announced, snapping up to her feet but Derek gave her a look and shook his head so she sank back down to her seat. 

"I know he's awake. Give him some space though. He's just come from the auction house and he's not a fan of werewolves. I don't expect him to be. Just let him get his bearings and then we'll take him some hot tea okay?" he told her and she nodded reluctantly, eyes trained on the door to the living room. 

Kenna smiled apologetically at Stiles when he winced and lifted his foot over a large bowl, scooping cold water over them to rinse them off before gently putting on a cool herbal salve that would soothe the heat the gashes caused, sap the pain away, and help it heal. She was silent as she took long strips of white cloth and bound his foot in a poultice, tucking in the end and tying it firmly at Stiles' ankle. As she moved on to rinsing the other and applying the salve she peered up at Stiles. 

"Derek got you from the auction house?" she asked quietly, licking her lips and then looking back at what she was doing, wrapping up the second foot. "I was born into it. My mother was the wet nurse for all of the Hale children and they kept her on even after they'd grown. Derek was my best friend growing up. He's a good person, you know. He didn't ask to be a werewolf he was just born that way." She bit on her bottom lip and tied up the last of the cloth before looking up at Stiles earnestly. "How does that feel? I can go get Derek if you want. He's in the kitchen with Boyd, Erica, and Isaac. Then we could show you to your rooms if you want. You'll like it here, I think. I do." 

Derek listened to the quiet conversation in the living room and stood, motioning the boys to stay and Erica to come with him since she seemed so worried. He waited at the kitchen door though to see if Stiles would even want to see them. He didn't want to make him uncomfortable.

Stiles looked down at his mummified feet, already able to feel the healing. Kenna was extremely kind, but he was suddenly a little unsure about her. She had grown up with Derek; she had been born into this kind of a life. Stiles had been born into a life of running and survival and fighting. They were two completely different kind of humans in this new world. 

“Yeah, he bought me,” Stiles said, still a little bitter about it. Okay, he was a lot bitter about it. He didn’t like the idea that Derek had papers somewhere that claimed ownership over him. “Thank you for wrapping up my feet,” he said, offering her a small smile, not wanting her to think that he was angry with her. He suddenly looked up somewhere behind Kenna and saw Derek and Erica standing in the doorway. His face took on a strange expression. He was unsure how to act around them now. They had seen him in a moment of extreme weakness and he didn’t like it. 

“I’m gonna go take a piss,” Stiles suddenly blurted out, the only thing he could think to say. He pushed the blanket off him and stood up, only swaying a little bit. Kenna caught his arm gently and held it until she was sure that Stiles could stand on his own. 

“The bathroom is past the kitchen on the left,” Kenna said helpfully, pointing towards the doorway where Derek and Erica stood. Great. Stiles gave a nod of thanks and walked gingerly towards the door, not wanting to dislodge Kenna’s hard work. He looked up at Derek briefly as he skirted between the two werewolves. Their eyes locked for a moment before Stiles tore his gaze away. He continued down the hallway, passing the kitchen where he saw two more werewolves, guys, standing there. He scurried past them and went into the bathroom, locking the door behind him. He took a few deep breaths before he went on and took care of business. He stayed there a little longer than he had to, but eventually he left the bathroom. He went back towards where he had left Derek, Kenna, and Erica and stood in the hallway a few feet away from the werewolves. 

“So,” he said slowly, “Last thing I remember was something about waiting by the car for my curly fries?” He didn’t smile but his face wasn’t entirely unfriendly either. 

Derek pulled Erica out of the way when Stiles needed to go past and she looked like she wanted to say something but Derek gave her a look that kept her mouth closed firmly. Boyd and Isaac both stayed still as Stiles moved past, not wanting to spook him. Nothing was said as Stiles went into the bathroom and Kenna moved to Derek's side when he mouthed a thank you to her. She squeezed his arm and tucked long brown hair behind her ear, waiting. When Stiles came back out and mentioned food Derek nodded his head and gave a small smile. 

"Of course. Before we eat, I'd like to introduce you properly. This is Erica Reyes and her fiancé Boyd and that's Isaac Lahey," he said, motioning to each in turn. 

"I'm engaged to his sister," Isaac piped up proudly and Derek rolled his eyes fondly. Isaac liked to tell anyone and everyone that he was marrying Cora, extremely proud of the fact. 

"They were just leaving," Derek told him, not wanting them to stay longer than would make Stiles comfortable. He was already pretty uncomfortable it would seem. 

"Umm, if you ever want to talk, Stiles, you can talk to me. I know what you must be going through and I know it's traumatic but you'll be okay," Erica spoke up gently before reaching for Boyd's hand and Isaac's arm. "You can get my number from Derek, okay? If you ever need anything." With that she gave a smile and then pulled the boys away. Boyd was nodding at Stiles and Isaac gave a sheepish smile as they were tugged out of the house. 

"You can eat with Kenna and I if you like or I can show you to your rooms and you can eat there if you want to have some time to yourself," Derek told him when the others were gone, moving to the bag of food that Kenna had brought in for him from the car.

Stiles nodded at each of the werewolves in turn as Derek introduced them, memorizing their faces. They were Derek’s pack and if Derek was weirdly nice, than Stiles could only assume that they would as well, especially if they were like Erica. Stiles had never met a werewolf that had been human originally, but he wasn’t sure if he would take her up on her offer to talk. He made sure to watch them when they left; secretly wanting to know which direction an exit was in. He could feel Derek’s eyes on him, and turned to face the werewolf and Kenna. 

“I can eat with you guys,” he said with a small shrug, “The kitchen is closer.” Despite the healing, his feet ached a bit and he didn’t really want to walk on them. He also didn’t want to ask for any more of that weird werewolf pain sucking. He knew from his wrists that they had done it again while he was out and he wasn’t sure how to feel about that. It was a bit awkward to say the least. Stiles walked back towards the kitchen, not waiting for Derek and Kenna to follow, but he knew that they would. The kitchen was huge and modern. Stiles felt an immediate urge to cook in it as soon as he entered. 

“This is a really nice place you have,” Stiles said quietly, still looking around. He may not have lived in a house before, but Stiles knew when one was nicer than average. He was sure beyond a shadow of a doubt that Derek had money, especially since he had said something about his family having a good name. He picked a chair at random and sat down, just to get off his feet. It felt better as soon as they didn’t have to support his entire body. Maybe refusing to walk hadn’t been his best plan, but Stiles was naturally obstinate. 

"Okay," Derek agreed when Stiles said he would eat with them. He let Stiles lead the way back to the kitchen and he and Kenna followed him. Kenna pushed a chair closer to Stiles once he was seated and smiled. 

"You should put them up so it'll heal quicker," she told him kindly as she went to go sit across from him, Derek beside her. 

"Kenna is studying nursing with a minor in herbal medicine," Derek informed Stiles as he pulled food out of the bag and put a burger and curly fries in front of Stiles. "I hope you like Dr. Pepper, I wasn't sure if you'd rather have that or Pepsi so I just got all of them Dr. Pepper but there are other sodas in the fridge if you'd rather." Kenna took her Caesar salad and tomato soup with a happy sigh and reached for the plastic utensils on the table.

"I take online classes and I've got a tutor who comes twice a week," she shared with a bright smile, opening the cup of soup and taking a bite. "How old are you, Stiles?" Derek sat quietly, interested but not wanting to push. He thought Stiles would be more comfortable talking to Kenna who was also human. He was fairly certain Stiles hated him and he understood that. But he would rather Stiles hate him here where he was safe instead of somewhere else where Deucalion would strip him of his body autonomy and force Stiles into harsh manual and sexual labor. The thought made him want to snarl but he kept himself in control so he wouldn't startle Stiles. 

“To be honest, I don’t really remember what any of those taste like,” Stiles said frankly, “But I’m sure that any of those are gonna be fine.” He picked a cup at random and took a sip. It tasted pretty good, though the carbonation was a little unsettling. He’d only had water for as long as he could remember. He unwrapped his food and dug in immediately, more hungry than he could remember being in a long time, especially since food was right in front of him. 

Stiles couldn’t help but smile at Kenna, happy that she was getting an education in something that she seemed to enjoy. It wasn’t often that you heard about something like that happening. It gave him some hope for his future here. He nearly froze when he realized what he just thought. A future? Here? What happened to running away at the first chance he got? The fact that he had seemingly forgotten about that scared the shit out of him. He tried to wipe the look of horror that he knew was on his face away. He took a huge bite of his food and tried to focus on that. 

“I’m sixteen,” he said, suddenly remembering that Kenna had asked him a question, “We’ve been on the run for as long as I could remember.” He knew that at some point, his family had been relatively normal in a small house and everything, but he couldn’t remember any of that. 

Derek frowned sadly at Stiles when he said he didn't remember what they tasted like and watched him with soft eyes as he drank and ate ravenously. He swallowed thickly and looked down at his food, suddenly feeling rather ill. He'd grown up never wanting for a thing, healing quickly so he barely hurt, never for long at least, and eating when he was hungry, sleeping when he was tired. And there Stiles was, having been starved and neglected and abused. To top it off he was only sixteen and Derek closed his eyes, taking a moment to gain his composure.

"I'm nineteen. Derek is twenty three," Kenna supplied, having not looked over at Derek since Stiles spoke. "Have you finished high school yet? You could if you wanted to. Derek could get you a tutor and set you up with online classes too if you wanted to like he does for me. We could totally study together and stuff." She was beaming widely and nudged Derek who finally looked up. He nodded and gave a small smile as well before unwrapping his food. 

"Of course. Whatever you'd like, Stiles. We'll go over how things work around here after lunch and you can get settled in your rooms," Derek agreed, taking a bite of his burger which was like cardboard in his mouth but he wasn't going to waste food when Stiles and so many others were being neglected of it. He couldn't take that for granted or waste it. Not now and not ever. 

Stiles was a little surprised by just how much older Derek was than the two of them. Four years older than Kenna and seven years older than himself. Despite that, it didn’t really seem like Derek was the type to flaunt his superior age, but Stiles supposed they would have to wait and see. 

“Gee, I don’t know,” Stiles said with a bit of a chuckle at Kenna’s question, “I’ve been a self-educator for a pretty long time. Something tells me I wouldn’t get along with someone trying to teach me, but I’ll think about it.” He tacked on the last part more for Kenna’s sake than for Derek. He couldn’t really tell what the older man wanted from him, especially with that strange look on his face, but Stiles elected to ignore it. He wouldn’t be staying anyway, something he tried to remind himself of firmly. He would be gone in two weeks tops, definitely not enough time to warrant a tutor or anything like that. 

He gave a nod at Derek when he spoke, not really able to think of a proper response. It unnerved him that Derek was so out of the realm of what he knew and he couldn’t really get a read on the werewolf. Part of him wanted to laugh when Derek said he could ‘get settled’. What did he have to get settled? Any possessions that Stiles had had been left behind when he’d been taken. Not that he had all that much to begin with, but still, he had nothing now. 

Kenna chuckled good-naturedly and Derek offered a tentative smile, taking a bite of his burger and looking away again. He chewed and swallowed, taking a long gulp of his soda before glancing at Stiles again. "You wouldn't have to have a tutor if you don't want one but if you'd like to take online courses and work at your own pace, I could help you set it up. There are a lot of options out there if you'd like to continue or further your education," he said, biting the inside of his cheek and going back to eating. Kenna reached out to pat at Derek's shoulder with some pride and approval since he seemed to actually be making an effort here towards their new housemate. 

When they were all finished eating, Derek stood and gathered up all of their trash, motioning Kenna to sit down when she tried to help. She pouted at him but allowed it and Derek pushed his half full container of curly fries towards Stiles when he still seemed hungry. The rest of the paper wrappings and dirty napkins and empty ketchup packets were bundled up and put into the trash compactor though and then Derek sat down again. 

"Basically, living here is easy," Derek started without preamble. "You really don't have any chores and there aren't many rules. Just make sure to clean up after yourself so things don't get piled up. We take turns doing most stuff. Rinsing dishes and loading the washer, unloading the washer to put clean dishes away, laundry, and dinner. Kenna and I can sit down later to redo the chart so we know whose days are when." 

"We get a hundred dollars a week to do with as we like also," Kenna added happily and Derek nodded his agreement easily. "I can help you set up a bank account online if you want so Derek can just deposit it directly and then you'll get a debit card in the mail so you can buy stuff online." 

"If you ever want to go into town just let me know. I'd prefer if you didn't go alone just for safety purposes. If I can't accompany you then one of my pack will. You've already met Boyd, Erica, and Isaac. There's also Scott and Kira. Scott was bitten by a rogue alpha just a couple of months ago and joined my pack after I saved him from the alpha that bit him. As far as I could tell he was a human on the run before he was attacked and turned. Then there's Kira who is a kitsune. Basically like a werewolf but instead she can shift into a fox. You can go out with any of them or any of my family so long as you're not alone. My family and pack are of the very few who treat humans as people and not objects. There are laws in place to keep other werewolves from messing with you but then you have people like Deucalion who have people inside the law to pay off who keep them out of trouble," Derek explained with a little scowl at the end. He took a deep breath though and watched as Kenna reached out to touch Stiles' arm tentatively, squeezing it with a small smile. "I'll keep you safe, Stiles. I promise. If you need anything please let me know. We can go into town tomorrow if your feet are feeling better and we'll get you some proper clothes and shoes, anything you need." 

"Do you want to see your rooms now?" Kenna asked excitedly and Derek rolled his eyes with a sigh. "We can go shop for paint and stuff tomorrow too if you want to paint. I'll show you my room. I love painting in my free time. Someday I want to travel the world and help heal people and then spend my evenings painting everything I've seen. Doesn't that sound wonderful?"

Stiles was starting to get a headache from the amount of information he was receiving. It was insanely overwhelming. He was getting loads of signals from both Derek and Kenna, and it all seemed to point to this being a pretty nice place and Derek being a pretty nice guy. He had given Stiles the rest of his curly fries, and though he probably didn’t know it, sharing food was pretty big where Stiles came from. Though a large number of humans liked to form groups to move together in, even within those groups it was pretty cutthroat. Numbers offered protection, but besides that it was pretty much every man for himself. Stiles and his father had each other, but without each other they had no one. 

The money thing nearly had Stiles choking on his food and keeling over right then and there. One hundred dollars a week? Stiles had never even heard of a job that paid that well, let alone one that paid well enough to just hand out one thousand dollars a month to a couple of humans. Derek had to be insanely loaded, even more so than Stiles had originally thought. With those kind of resources, along with a debit card and access to the Internet, Stiles had no doubt that he could have everything he needed within a month, if not sooner. The thought made him feel a little guilty. They both seemed so happy to have him here, especially Kenna who seemed beside herself with excitement. All in all, it really wasn’t a bad place to stay, but Stiles knew that he couldn’t. He had to leave, if not for himself than for his father. He couldn’t leave his dad out there to fend for himself. He was getting older and things would get more difficult. 

Stiles finished up his curly fries, crushing up the container himself before Derek got the chance to grab everything. He wanted to show that he wasn’t helpless, even though Derek had claimed that he proved himself earlier. He followed where Derek had gone before and found himself standing in front of a machine that he had no idea how to work. Behind him, Kenna smiled gently and stood to walk over to him. She silently showed him how to work the trash compactor, and he was glad it was her and not Derek. Stiles knew how to use a good amount of household appliances. He had broken into his fair share of homes, but a trash compactor was never something he had found that he needed, so he always just brushed past it. 

“Let’s go see my rooms I guess,” Stiles said, trying to put on a smile for Kenna’s sake, “I should probably rest if we’re going shopping tomorrow.” She seemed so happy here and Stiles didn’t want to do anything that might ruin that. She was a genuinely nice person, sweet and kind. There was no reason for her to feel any kind of unnecessary pain, emotional or otherwise. Kenna gave an excited nod, looping her arm through Stiles’ to lead him through the house. He wasn’t so sure about personalizing things like it seemed she wanted him to, but Derek seemed to want it as well, along with the opportunity to buy Stiles new clothes and such. He supposed it would do well to know where the nearest town was so that he could avoid it at all costs. He was acutely aware of Derek following behind them as Kenna pointed out various rooms and what they were. Her rooms were Stiles’ favorite so far. The paintings on the wall were amazing, and a genuine smile came across his face when he saw them, making sure to compliment her on her work. 

“This is the library,” Kenna said a little ways down another hallway, pointing at a closed door. Stiles froze, pulling her to a stop. 

“You have a library?” he asked slowly, eyebrows raised. 

“Yes,” Kenna said with a good-natured laugh, “Would you like to see?”

“Does the Earth orbit the sun?” Stiles deadpanned, only causing Kenna to laugh again. She pushed open the dark wood door, revealing the largest amount of books that Stiles had ever seen in his life. Three out of four walls were covered with shelves and every shelf was crammed full of books. There were rolling ladders to reach the top shelves, a wall made completely of windows, and somehow there was also a fireplace, though Stiles didn’t see a chimney. Comfortable chairs and couches, along with two dark wood desks dotted the room. Stiles slipped his arm out of Kenna’s grasp, taking a few slow steps into the room, eyes wide, lips parted. He had never seen so many books, so much information. “I don’t need to go anywhere else,” Stiles said with a decided nod, “This can be my room.” Kenna laughed and shook her head. 

“Oh no you don’t,” she said with a smile, grabbing Stiles’ arm again, “You’re getting a proper bed. You can go into the library whenever you want.” Stiles was seconds away from pouting, but he managed to stop himself, giving a sigh as he allowed Kenna to drag him out and continue on down the hallway. 

Derek followed along the two humans quietly but he could sense Stiles' hesitation at it all. Derek didn't really blame him after all that he'd been through either. Humans were basically promised a life of pain and misery since the day they were born and to all of a sudden have your view of the world and its inhabitants - at least some of them - tipped on its head. So he watched Stiles examine the rooms Kenna showed him; he seemed especially interested in her room and the murals she'd done on the walls. The one completely solid wall was covered in a beautiful and elaborate painting of a forest and her bed was pushed up against it; the wall to the right of the bed and facing the doorway had large windows but in the space left she had painted in floral vines and lattices; the wall to the left facing the bed had a bookshelf and two doors to the closet and bathroom respectively and on the large space left on that wall was painted the Parthenon in all its columned glory; the last wall - the wall that held the door into the walkway - had a built in bookshelf and in the remaining space a Scottish hillside covered in blood red poppies was depicted in stunning detail. She had a desk in there as well as her paint equipment set up by the large windows but everything was packed up nice and neat. 

Derek followed their path into the library but waited by the door with a soft smile as Stiles looked around. "You're welcome to spend as much time here as you'd like. Nothing is off limits to you here," he said gently, letting Stiles take in his fill before Kenna was sweeping him away.

They stopped at the door to Stiles' rooms and Kenna pushed open the door to reveal the large bedroom beyond. Derek stayed put in the hallway as the two stepped inside. The walls were ivory with pale yellow trim and there was a large queen size bed with plush looking bedding and many pillows. There was a desk in there too with a laptop sitting on top of it, cell phone resting beside it, chargers for both wrapped up in rubber bands on one of the small shelves. 

"Our numbers and all of the packs' are programmed into the phone for you in case you ever need one of us," Kenna told him as they went in to look around. She showed him into the large bathroom and then seemed to remember something, dragging Stiles back towards the doorway but stopping a few feet away so they were both facing Derek. She was smiling smugly at him and Derek rolled his eyes as she turned to Stiles. "Tell Derek he can come inside. Just trust me." 

Once he'd done so almost reluctantly and definitely uncertainly, Derek took a deliberate step over the threshold. "The Hale Pack's emissary is very good at what he does," Derek shared with a small smirk as Kenna nodded her agreement. 

"Look, do you see this?" Kenna asked as she pulled Stiles closer to the threshold and then ran her fingers over the door paneling where intricate little symbols had been branded into the wood and then sealed over with lacquer. The symbols were all around the doorway, on the floor and both sides and even the top. "That's what Deaton does for us, for all the humans in the pack. Our rooms are protected so anyone who isn't human can't come in unless you give them verbal permission. As soon as they go out again, they can't come in unless you give them permission again." She waved a hand at Derek to demonstrate and he sighed but did step out of the room. He tried to walk back in but was stopped, thus demonstrating its usefulness. 

"It's supposed to give you a space of your own, so that no one who isn't human can't bother you. You're completely safe in this room and on the house grounds. There are fences all around the property inlaid with wolfsbane and mountain ash. The only way for a werewolf to get past is through the main gate with a code," Derek added, reassuring Stiles of his safety there. "If for whatever reason you feel threatened, just come into your room or Kenna's and you'll be safe. The enchantments extend to the windowsills as well."

Stiles ran his fingers gently over the sigils on the wall. He had only heard rumors about preventative magic, mere whispers. Little things like how it could keep the werewolves at bay and how special people had to perform it. He’d never gotten his hopes up for getting more information on it. That kind of knowledge would have cost him far more than he was willing to pay, if he could even find the right people to tell him anything. Things were different now. He had an entire library and the whole Internet at his fingertips. Finding out certain things would definitely be to his benefit. 

Stiles was sure that Derek could hear how his heartbeat got a little slower, could sense the relief in his body when he realized that he could keep the man out if he so chose to. In the encampments, they had only ever had the illusion of protection, the hope that their numbers would be enough to keep some of them alive. This? This was something completely different. This was real protection, something that Stiles could count on. He decided that he would try and memorize them, try and figure out some way that he could use this magic to protect his father when they found each other again. If Stiles had things like this at his disposal, he and his dad would never have to fear anything ever again. 

“Thank you,” Stiles eventually said, “For everything.” He spared a glance at Derek before begrudgingly adding a muttered, “Both of you.” As unsure as he was about Derek’s general everything, Stiles knew that the werewolf had really saved his ass. This was more than he had ever expected to get out of his life. His own room to do with as he pleased, the option of who he could let in, the promise of safety, warmth, food, and comfort should he want it. With so many options, Stiles wasn’t entirely sure what to do with himself. 

“Why don’t we leave you to settle in?” Kenna said with a soft smile, as though she could see Stiles getting overwhelmed, “Then tomorrow we can go into town for your things. Make a day of it.” Stiles gave her a short nod and a forced smile, not wanting to disappoint her. He had no idea why he felt like this, after just meeting her. Maybe because he suddenly knew what it felt like to have your world turned upside down and have everything you know challenged. Kenna was born into this while Stiles was more or less born into running. He didn’t want to be the one to ruin her world. 

Stiles waited until they both left to shut the door. He leaned against it, letting out a small sigh. This was undeniably strange. Stiles glanced at the phone and the computer, but exhaustion was overtaking him quickly. He had had an eventful day and his body was finally telling him that it was time to sleep. Stiles limped over to the gigantic bed, his feet starting to ache the longer he stood on them. He didn’t worry about changing or anything since he had no other clothes save for the ones that he had borrowed from Derek. Stiles flopped onto the bed, asleep before he hit the pillow. 

That’s when the nightmares began. Stiles thrashed in his sleep, small whimpers and groans slipping past his lips. Inside his head, he was reliving memories he didn’t even know he had. 

He was in some kind of clearing in a forest. The sun was bright, the grass was green, and the water in the stream was clear. Stiles’ mother was there with him, laughing and playing in the grass. Suddenly, the sky went dark. All the plants began to die and the water in the stream turned to blood. A lone howl rang through the clearing, resonating into Stiles’ very core. Stiles looked for his mother to find that she had disappeared. He began screaming for her, stumbling through the forest, tears running down his face. Then he saw her, lying on the forest floor, throat ripped out by some monster. He felt hot breath on his back and Stiles turned around. All he could see was a pair of glowing red eyes. Stiles turned to run, but the monster lashed out, claws raking down Stiles’ back. Stiles woke up screaming. He could hear pounding on his door. He didn’t know who it was, too frazzled to even think about it before muttering, “Come in,” his voice hoarse. 

Derek was the one who woke when Stiles started thrashing about. Derek was a light sleeper to begin with and now with his even more enhanced hearing from becoming an alpha his senses could range all the way out of the house to the walls if he pushed it just the slightest bit. He didn't blame Stiles for having nightmares; Derek got nightmares himself. But then Stiles was honest to god screaming and crying out and Derek couldn't ignore it. He hopped out of bed and was rushing through the halls to Stiles' room, meeting Kenna on the way. Derek was wearing nothing but his sweat pants and Kenna was in little cotton shorts and a camisole. She was the one to knock frantically at the door and Derek hadn't expected entrance but Stiles gave it without thinking so Derek spilled in after her. 

Kenna crawled onto Stiles' bed and stared down at him with huge scared eyes, worry and concern in her features as she brushed sweaty hair from his forehead. "Shh, Stiles it's okay. It's alright. It was only a dream," she told him soothingly as Derek hovered about a foot from the end of Stiles' bed. As much as the alpha in him was telling him to hold and comfort Stiles, his pack, he didn't want to push Stiles or make him uncomfortable. He knew that the human had little liking for Derek since he'd bought him and while it hurt it was also understandable. Moonlight filtered through the open curtains from the full moon outside but Derek's eyes didn't glow and he remained human, arms crossed over his chest. 

The moonlight bathed everything in shades of white and silver and it threw Derek's skin and muscles into sharp relief, eyes grey instead of their greenish blue. The moonlight also threw something else into sharp relief, something that was usually out of place on a werewolf; four long ugly scars that started on the back of Derek's left shoulder and curved over his pectoral, down to his ribs and across his abdominal muscles. Kenna barely even paid Derek a glance as she spoke up. 

"Derek, can you go make him some hot tea, please," she asked, rubbing Stiles' shoulder tenderly in an effort to soothe him. Derek hesitated and then nodded; sparing Stiles one more look full of concern and surprising tenderness. He turned away and disappeared from the room to leave Kenna and Stiles alone to talk. With some effort he drew in his senses so that they would have privacy, focusing his hearing just on what was around him. 

"Are you okay?" Kenna asked Stiles once Derek was gone, biting on her lower lip as she looked down at him. "Do you want to talk about it? I get nightmares too sometimes. So does Derek. Sometimes it helps to talk about it you know, but don't feel like you have to, it's totally okay. How can I help you? Do you need some fresh air? I could open the windows?" 

Stiles wiped his face roughly, trying to bring himself back into the realm of reality. Both Kenna and Derek had come to his aid, something he hadn’t exactly expected, though he wasn’t sure why. It was clear that they both cared for his wellbeing and he had no idea why he thought they wouldn’t come if he was screaming. He found himself staring after Derek as he left, zoning out completely until Kenna’s questioning brought him back. 

“I’m fine,” he blatantly lied, shaking his head a little bit, “I just… Is there a mirror in this room? A big one?” Kenna pointed towards a door, one that had to be a closet. Stiles slid out of bed, Kenna close beside him as he walked toward it, almost ripping it open. A large mirror hung on the back of the door. Stiles ripped off his shirt and turned around, craning his neck until he could see most of his back, until he could see his scars. He had always known they were there. He had been able to feel them when he was younger, but whenever he asked, his father always said that Stiles had scraped himself falling out of a tree. Stiles had accepted the story without question, figuring that his dad had no reason to lie. Maybe he was wrong. Staring at them now, after what had happened in his dream, he couldn’t deny that they bore a striking resemblance to a set of claw marks. 

“What happened?” Kenna asked softly, hoping to get Stiles to open up so he could let it out and feel better. 

“My dad always told me I fell out of a tree,” Stiles answered, his voice equally quiet, “Now I’m not so sure.” Memories didn’t really start sticking around until about three years old, and Stiles was only a little older than that when his mother was killed. It was entirely plausible that he had seen the whole thing and repressed it, though how he had escaped he had no idea. 

“Let Derek back in,” Kenna murmured, her eyes on the door. Stiles turned his head the other way to see the werewolf standing there with a steaming mug of tea. He locked eyes with the werewolf for a moment, turning to hide his back almost as soon as he did. He was silent for a moment before he broke the stare, tearing his gaze away as he leaned down and picked up his shirt. 

“Come in,” Stiles finally said, still feeling strange about the amount of control he had in this situation. He pulled his shirt back over his head and accepted the tea from Derek with a jerky nod of gratitude. “Sorry for waking you guys up,” he said after taking a small sip. He did feel pretty bad about that. One glance out the window told Stiles that it was still pretty late, the sun not having rose yet. He knew how he got when he didn’t sleep enough, and he felt guilty for taking sleep away from someone else. 

Derek stepped inside quietly, having caught just a glimpse of the thin white scars on Stiles' back. They were smoother and more precise looking but they looked strikingly similar to the ones Derek had himself; Derek's were ugly though. Marred white skin several shades lighter than the skin around it, the edges were jagged and rough and still a little pink towards the outside like despite Derek's advance level healing they still weren't completely better. He allowed Stiles to pull his shirt back on before offering the mug silently and taking a step back when Stiles took it, wanting to give him his space. 

Derek could tell that Kenna was burning with a million questions but to her credit she stayed quiet and didn't try to pry. They were all quiet for a long moment before Derek cleared his throat and shook his head, looking outside towards the full moon. The light from the moon caught his eyes in just the right way that his tapetum lucidum reflected the light back and made his entire iris and pupil go red for a brief moment before he looked back at Stiles. "It's alright. We just wanted to make sure you were okay. You can wake us with anything you need, even if it's just a nightmare," he answered, voice rough from the deep slumber he'd been in before he woke. 

Kenna looked back and forth from Stiles to Derek for a moment before biting her lip and looking to Stiles. She stayed quiet though tried to motion Stiles to look at Derek's skin, willing him to make the connection. Kenna of course knew how Derek had gotten his scars, the whole pack did. But Stiles wouldn't know of course, hadn't been there when it happened. Derek just stood like a sentinel at the foot of the bed, a bit closer than he had been initially but he was looking out the window instead of at the two humans, arms loosely crossed over his chest and body angled slightly towards the window like he wanted to jump out of it and run into the waiting trees beyond the line of the backyard. 

Kenna was giving Stiles a weird look, as though she was subtly trying to gesture to him about something. Stiles’ eyebrows furrowed in confusion and he just looked at her, conveying that he had no clue what she wanted him to do. Kenna sighed a bit, glancing at Derek before getting closer to Stiles. 

“Look at his skin,” she mouthed carefully, wanting to make sure that Stiles could read her lips. Stiles stared at her for a minute, jerking his head towards Derek in question. Kenna nodded at him, urging him on. She wanted them to have something in common, even the smallest thing, just anything to give them a connection that they could work from. She knew that Derek was a good person and she wanted Stiles to know it too. 

Stiles looked over at Derek warily, as though staring was against some kind of rule that was never said. He looked back at Kenna who just nodded at him, and he put his mug down on the bedside table before looking back at Derek. His eyes flickered over the man’s bare torso, confused as to what Kenna wanted him to look at until his eyes caught on something. The jagged edge of smooth skin. Stiles leaned forward a bit, trying to get a better look at what had to be some kind of scar. He didn’t even know that werewolves could get scars. He though that everything just healed automatically. Stiles continued to lean forward, more and more of the marred skin coming into view until Stiles leaned just a bit too far and fell straight off the bed. 

“Oww,” Stiles groaned, rubbing his head that had hit pretty hard against the carpeted floor. If it had been wooden or tile, he might’ve been worried about a concussion, but he was pretty sure he was fine. 

“Are you alright?” Kenna asked immediately, worry clear on her face as she slid off the bed, moving to help Stiles up. 

“I’m fine,” he lied, head pounding a bit as he waved her off standing up on his own. He looked at Derek who was looking at him now instead of out the window. “How did you get yours?” Stiles heard himself ask, his mind to mouth filter clearly not working. That was probably not the best question to ask, considering the possible traumatic answer and the fact that it was a full moon tonight.

Derek looked over immediately when Stiles fell off the bed and he rushed a step forward to help before catching himself and stepping back again with his arms more tightly crossed. So, yea, he wanted Stiles to like him probably but he didn't and that was fine. Derek could live with it as long as he was safe. He didn't know why he wanted Stiles to like him really, didn't know why it was so important. Derek had never cared about whether or not people liked him in the past but for some reason Derek found himself wanting to prove to Stiles that he was a good person and not just another asshole werewolf like everyone assumed all werewolves were. He swallowed thickly and then his eyes flashed up to Stiles' face when he asked Derek a question. 

He saw that Stiles was looking at his scars and Derek's eyes flashed red a moment as he looked down at them before glancing away. He kept his jaw clenched tightly closed, not wanting to speak about it really. But Kenna appeared at his side and wrapped an arm around his waist to squeeze him. He gave her grateful look and she moved away to sit at the edge of Stiles' bed so Derek sighed heavily. He moved to stand by the window and spoke carefully. Stiles deserved some sort of answers at least. If he was going to trust Derek then he needed to know more about him. Keeping secrets was never conducive to trust. 

"I was never supposed to be an alpha. That was Laura's job. She's older and therefore my mother would pass on her status to my sister. Growing up I always knew that Laura would be my alpha when we were older." He took a deep breath and paused before going on. "My Uncle Peter, my mom's younger brother, he was always starved for attention it seemed like and he wanted power. Two years ago a rogue alpha came through town and my uncle helped some others to take him down, delivering the final blow and taking the Alpha's powers as his own. Peter was fine for a while but," Derek sighed and shook his head. "He was never meant to be an alpha and it was too much for him to handle. About thirteen months ago he lost his mental capacities and tried to build himself a new pack by hunting humans, biting and turning them against their will." He turned his back to the window and sat down on the little ledge, staring down at his hands and carefully letting his claws extend very slowly. "Eleven months ago it had been a full moon and we'd been looking for Peter for two months before that, trying to take him down as peaceably as we could. He was family after all and it wasn't exactly his fault that he couldn't handle the extra power. Just genetics. I went running to blow off steam and my little sister came with me. Elsa, she was fourteen at the time and born human. We came across my uncle Peter in the woods and he tried to attack Elsa, smelling that she wasn't wolf. I stepped in." He reached up and placed the tip of each of his claws on the lines on his chest and very lightly trailed them down to where they ended just below his navel. "He got his claws in me before I could do anything, almost pulled my organs from my body but Elsa had rolled behind Peter and managed to distract him. He turned from me in a rage and it gave me enough time to pull my claws across his throat and let him bleed out on the ground next to me." His eyes were dark and haunted and Kenna leaned against Stiles' shoulder as she watched Derek stare off at nothing, gaze focused someplace far away. "Afterwards, I was carried back home by my sisters half dead and practically catatonic. They didn't understand why my wounds hadn't stopped bleeding, hadn't started to heal. It was because I suppressed it. I didn't want to let it heal like it never happened. I killed my own uncle to save my sister. Something like that shouldn't just be allowed to disappear. It's ugly and rough and it should never be allowed to be forgotten or forgiven." 

He finally blinked and his eyes were watery as he looked back at the two humans perched on the bed. It was silent for a moment and then Derek stood straight again, claws still out. "Excuse me," he mumbled and fled the bedroom. Half a minute later a huge jet black wolf with silver markings on its face and back streaked through the back yard and into the trees where a long piercing howl was heard moments later and then just barely a second of silence before the answering howl of several other wolves further away. 

"He's afraid it'll happen to him," Kenna said after a moment, looking over at Stiles. "He's afraid that since he wasn't meant to be an alpha just like Peter wasn't meant to be an alpha that it'll happen to him to; that he'll lose control. He said Laura's older but they're twins. She's older by two and a half minutes and Talia could've chosen either of them to be alpha but chose Laura because in the Hale line the alpha power was always past mother to daughter. Derek could've been an alpha so his body can handle it in a way Peter's couldn't. Derek just hasn't accepted that yet. Or forgiven himself. He and Peter had been close when Derek was younger. He taught Derek how to play baseball and how to ride a bike and how to draw. Derek barely moved for weeks and didn't speak for longer. I honestly didn't think he'd tell you the whole story like that. He's usually a private person. I thought he'd give the short version."

Stiles had stared with rapt attention the entire time that Derek had been speaking, completely taken aback by his story. In short, that shit was severely fucked up. He’d heard of plenty of werewolves who killed each other for power, never even blinking an eye, but it was more than clear that Derek had some serious problems with what he’d done, how he’d gotten power. As any normal person should. The fact that Derek had been so close to Peter and had been forced to kill him out of necessity was probably the worst part. Stiles sat quietly on his bed thinking. 

“I’m gonna go back to sleep,” Stiles said quietly, lying to Kenna for the third time that night. Kenna just nodded, unable to tell. 

“Call me if you need anything,” she said with a smile, closing the door after her as she left. Stiles stared out the window once she was gone, trying to understand the feeling in his chest. It was a strange sensation, like something was pulling at him, telling him that there was something he had to do. Stiles stood up and went to the window, pushing it up, feeling the cool night air on his face. 

Derek had trusted him. There was no other way to say it. Derek had chosen to tell Stiles, a human who still barely even looked at Derek, something incredibly personal from his past, something that he could have easily chosen not to speak about at all. Something inside of Stiles, some deep tug that he couldn’t understand, was telling him to return the favor. Stiles looked down. His window overlooked the backyard, but there were no rooms directly in front of him, just the flat side of the house, which meant that it was a pretty big drop if he decided to jump. Even Stiles with all his impulsiveness knew that was stupid. He also knew how far werewolves could hear if they chose. 

“Umm… hey, Derek,” Stiles said slowly, feeling incredibly stupid for talking to the air, “So… Kenna told me that you’re scared of going all psycho like your uncle did. God, this is so stupid, you probably can’t even hear me. But umm… just in case you can, I kinda wanted to say thanks? For trusting me, I mean. I uhh, I wasn’t expecting it. Also… you know what, never mind.” Stiles closed the window, hobbling back over to his bed. He stood next to it for a minute, silently fighting with himself before he cursed under his breath, walking back over to the window and yanking it up. 

“I’ve met a lot of werewolves in my time,” Stiles said quickly, trying to get this out as fast as possible, “Met plenty of betas, a few omegas, and even an alpha or two. Let me tell you, they were assholes. Every single one of them. They all thought they were the greatest thing since sliced bread. But you? You’re not like that. You’re… you’re different, and… I don’t think you have anything to be scared of.” It felt weird to say, but it was the truth. Whether or not Stiles liked him didn’t matter. It was clear as day that Derek wasn’t like any other werewolf on the street and Stiles was man enough to admit that. He kept the window open this time as he walked back over to his bed, climbing under the covers and wrapping himself in them tightly. The last thing Stiles remembered before drifting off to sleep was whispering the words ‘come in’. 

In his full shift form, Derek's senses were even more heightened than they were in human form. So as soon as he heard his name called quietly from the house he looped back through the acres of property towards the back yard again. He paused so that he was still hidden like a shadow in the tree line and he listened to Stiles' words. Emotions were easier to deal with when he was shifted, simplified down to a primal level that didn't hurt so badly. He sat on his haunches, massive head hung down almost in shame as he listened to Stiles' words. They made him feel a little bit better but not a whole lot. Maybe he did had some chance of getting Stiles to warm up to him after all. He listened as Stiles climbed back into bed and then was startled when he heard Stiles extending him access. He hesitated before loping across the yard to the edge of the house. He shifted human - naked - and scaled the house, hesitating before slipping through the open window. Knowing he wouldn't be able to get back in if he went to get clothes and not wanting Stiles to wake to him naked, Derek shifted back into his massive wolf form and then curled up on the carpet next to Stiles' bed. He rested his head on his paws and closed his eyes, falling asleep there as one of Stiles' arms fell off the bed and his hand landed in Derek's thick soft fur. He thought of pulling away but ended up pushing into it and then did fall asleep with long slender fingers gripping at his dark fur. He stayed there the entire night, keeping sentinel at Stiles' beside.


	3. Chapter 3

Stiles slept soundly the rest of the night, not a dream to remember but no nightmares as well. It had been a long time since Stiles slept without nightmares, even minor ones that he couldn’t wake up from. Birds began singing outside his window as the sun rose, light and sound filtering through his open window. Stiles responded like any teenager, with something akin to a pained groan at being torn from sleep. The light was shining almost directly in his eyes from another window and Stiles rolled to try and get away from it. Unfortunately, he rolled right off the bed, not realizing how close he had been to the edge. A tiny yelp had slipped from his lips on the way down, eyes opening wide in fright, but instead of hitting the carpeted floor, Stiles felt himself hit something furry and warm that also woke up as soon as Stiles landed on it. Stiles scurried off, not getting off the floor but putting a foot of space between him and what had to be Derek. Stiles had seen the same wolf last night with Kenna, streaking across the backyard. Stiles stared unabashedly. He had never been this close to a shifted alpha before, not that he could remember. His heart was still pounding wildly, though it was more the aftermath of the fall than anything else. He didn’t remember Derek coming into his room, but he did just barely remember giving him permission. Stiles threw a glance at the nearest clock and saw that it was only about five-thirty in the morning. He flopped back onto the floor with a groan. “I was going to say good morning,” Stiles said, his voice rough from sleep, “But it’s too early to be alive, so I’m going back to sleep.” He curled up right there on the floor, too lazy to even get back into bed. 

Derek woke startled and automatically he was on his four feet, snarl on his face as he looked around for danger. When all he found was a disgruntled looking Stiles he relaxed and huffed out a breath before turning and padding closer to him. He stared down at the boy laying down and when Stiles didn't get up, instead curling onto the ground, Derek nudged his nose against his hip to get him back I'm bed. Stiles didn't move so Derek nudged at his ribs and then sighed. He moved to stand in the space between Stiles and his bed and nudged him over a few inches so that if he woke suddenly again he wouldn't sit up and smack his head on the bed frame. Derek hopped up with two paws on the edge of the bed and clasped the blanket in his teeth, careful as he pulled it down off the bed and dragged it over Stiles' tired frame. He nosed at Stiles' face with his cold wet nose and then huffed, laying down at his head and pressing his nose to his hair until Stiles' head was pillowed on Derek's warm, fur covered belly. In his shifted form, Derek was more prone to his wolf and his instincts and these instincts were telling him to protect and comfort his pack. He curled around Stiles and tentatively hooked his big head over Stiles' shoulder so he could lay it against his chest while Stiles still lay on Derek's stomach. With a huff of hot breath and a soft contented growl that was almost more of a purr if wolves did that sort of thing, he closed his eyes and rested again, happy with the knowledge that he was doing something to help and Stiles hadn't yelled at him to get out. Yet at least. 

Stiles had been asleep again before his head even touched the floor and he barely noticed his body being nudged and moved beyond responding with an annoyed groan and a flailed limb. He noticed getting warmer and he noticed his head being supported better, but not enough to warrant him waking up when it was still before at least eight in the morning. So Stiles just snuggled in, hugging the blanket tightly around him and nuzzling into the warm pillow that felt strangely like fur, not realizing that it was actually Derek he was curling into. That was how Kenna found them when she came in to wake Stiles at nine. 

“Stiles,” she said, knocking gently on the door, “Stiles, if we want to get to town in time to make sure we get everything you need, you should start getting ready now.” When Kenna received no response, she opened the door. She didn’t see Stiles in his bed and saw the open window. She panicked for a moment, rushing over to it when something caught her eye. She turned to see Derek curled around the newest addition to their home, still fully shifted, and Stiles sleeping soundly against him, whether he knew Derek was there or not. She was conflicted, unsure if she should wake them up. She had no idea how the two would react if they woke up in this kind of position. Glancing at the clock, Kenna saw that she had wasted fifteen minutes watching them. Making an executive decision, she clapped her hands twice loudly, jerking the two out of sleep. “Rise and shine,” she said happily. 

“Go away,” Stiles groaned, like any sixteen-year-old teenager would when faced with the prospect of waking up. He was more lucid now but still clung to sleep desperately, chasing it as he pressed his face further into his pillow. Stiles’ eyebrows furrowed. Pillow? He distinctly remembered falling off the bed at the ass crack of dawn and his pillow didn’t come with him. Stiles opened his eyes only to be met with an expanse of black fur. Derek. He jerked up into a sitting position, eyes wide as he tried to figure out how exactly that had happened. Kenna didn’t give him the time to over think it. 

“You,” she said, pointing at Stiles, “To the bathroom. You,” she shifted her finger to the still shifted Derek, “Go get dressed and bring Stiles some new clothes to wear. I’ll have breakfast ready when you’re done.” She ushered Stiles to the bathroom giving Derek no more than an almost knowing smile before they disappeared into the hallway to get ready for the day. 

Derek didn't even crack open an eye when Kenna clapped her hands and ordered them awake, just growled low in warning at her and tried to go back to sleep with his head still resting comfortably over Stiles' heart. But then Stiles seemed to realize Derek was Derek and not a pillow and he jerked up as if he'd been burned. Derek let out a soft wounded noise before he could stop himself and then got to his feet, looking at the ground like a dog who'd just been caught chewing on it's owners shoes. Derek watched as Stiles practically bolted up and away from him into the bathroom. Derek snapped his teeth at Kenna but she just smirked and wriggled her fingers at him playfully so he slunk out of the room. He padded down the hall towards a door and pawed at the handle until it opened to reveal another staircase, which he loped up gracefully. His room took up most of the third story and it was the only place in the house that he didn't usually let Kenna into, only for special circumstances. Once in the privacy of his own space he shifted back to human and just stared forward for a moment as he thought about how stupid he'd been to stay, to curl around Stiles like that. He thought Stiles had known it was him but obviously he was wrong and it shouldn't hurt so badly. He padded over to put on a pair of shorts and gathered up a pair of clean sweat pants, a t-shirt, pull over sweater and boots. He left the folded up pile on the floor just outside Stiles' rooms along with the boots before fleeing back upstairs. He showered in steaming hot water and let it pour over his body. Somehow he ended up with a hand wrapped around himself, pulling himself into hardness, and it didn't take long for him to spill over onto the floor of the shower with the image of mole dotted skin and pink parted lips in his mind, guilt and disgust with himself searing through his veins. He got out and dried and dressed and then went downstairs to the kitchen, scowling at nothing as he made himself a cup of coffee and ignored Kenna's knowing gaze. He really didn't want to talk to her right then. He was really an awful person. 

Once left on his own in the shower, Stiles had plenty of time to over think what had happened. He had woken up with Derek curled around him and Stiles nuzzling into him in return. Stiles had no idea how they had ended up like that. He remembered waking up from his nightmare and he remembered Kenna and Derek coming into his room. He remembered looking at his scars and then asking Derek about his own. He remembered how open Derek had been before he bolted. He remembered talking to the air outside the window, overcome by some strange impulse to make Derek feel better after he had opened up like that. He remembered giving him permission to enter before falling asleep and then falling off the bed a few hours later. Stiles supposed that that was when they had ended up wrapped around each other. Thinking about it slowly, he supposed it made sense. Derek was incredibly nice all things considered and it wasn’t all that surprising that he had tried to comfort Stiles on the floor. He began washing himself quickly. He briefly considered giving himself a little release but he felt weird about it knowing that Derek could probably hear him. Stiles turned the water off, his skin red from the heat of the water. He wrapped a towel tightly around his waist and wandered back down to his room where he found a pile of clothes and a pair of shoes. He picked them up and got dressed quickly inside his room, towel drying his hair. He went down to the kitchen where he found Kenna and Derek. He still felt supremely awkward about what had happened with Derek and wasn’t really sure how to act around him. Stiles was meant to hate him, dislike him at the very least. If he didn’t, it would make it all the more difficult to leave when the time came. 

“Did you sleep well?” Kenna asked from where she was cooking something on the stove. 

“Yes,” Stiles answered honestly, sparing a sideways glance at Derek, his face going a bit pink without his permission. He felt weird that the best sleep he’d had in years was one with a werewolf wrapped around him. 

“Good, we’re up for a busy day,” she said with a smile, sliding a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him. Stiles thanked her quietly and practically inhaled his food, hungry as ever. 

Derek tensed when Stiles came into the room moments later and he spared a quick look but Stiles wasn't looking back so he turned his eyes away. He stayed silent as he leaned against the counter nursing a large mug of coffee. He should offer some to Stiles but he couldn't form the words so he left Kenna to her work. It was supposed to be Derek's day to do the cooking but he was grateful that she took over. When it was ready she pushed him bodily towards the table and he scowled at her but sat down across from Stiles, staring down at the wood grain on the table as Kenna set out plates of French toast, eggs, and bacon in front of them. Derek muttered a thank you and ate quietly. 

"I'm sorry," he said eventually when he was feeling too awkward and he glanced up at Stiles. "I shouldn't have- I should've made sure you knew. I thought you realized- I just. Instincts are harder to suppress when I'm shifted. I needed- I wanted to...be close to you. But I should've made sure to have your permission first. I'm sorry." He was red by the time he finished and looked down at his plate, pushing a bite of toast around through a puddle of syrup but not eating it. 

"I'm gonna go get dressed," Kenna decided as she stood up and took her plate to the sink. "Derek, you can rinse dishes right? Show Stiles how to work the dishwasher and where everything is, hmm?" She ruffled Derek's hair and left without waiting for a response and Derek just sighed with a nod.

Stiles was a little surprised by Derek’s apology, but more so by the red color staining his cheeks. It made Stiles blush as well just by looking at him and he had no idea why. He didn’t say anything, figuring that Kenna would fill the silence when she just up and left. Stiles stared at her with desperate eyes but she just smiled and left the room. Now Stiles had to say something or it would be weird. Well, weirder. 

“It’s… It’s alright,” Stiles said but then he felt like he had waited to long and needed to clarify, “The whole… sleeping thing. I mean… instincts and all that. They can’t be blamed for everything of course, but I was freaking out earlier and I guess it was natural or something?” The more he went on the more idiotic he felt, similar to the night before when he had been speaking to an empty backyard. Despite how awkward he felt about it, millions of questions were burning in Stiles’ mind. He was silent for all of three seconds after speaking before a question burst out of his mouth.

“It was a bit quick, don’t you think?” Stiles asked, “I mean… you said that you, uhh, you wanted to be close and that it was instinct. That’s like a pack thing right? To want to be close to other members of the pack? But I’ve only been here for a day. Is that too fast be already be a part of the pack or is it like an immediate thing? Or is it on a case-by-case basis? Is there some kind of secret initiation that I accidentally did? Is it because you bought me?” The last question slipped out before Stiles could stop it and his empty plate suddenly became the most interesting thing in the world. He stared at it as though it would suddenly make him take back his words or disappear. 

Derek looked up at Stiles when he started blurting out question after question and when he finished it took Derek a moment to sort through it all before sighing a bit. "No, it- there's no time limit or anything. It's case-by-case, alpha-by-alpha. Everyone is different. I tend to be... sometimes overprotective. It makes it easier and quicker for me to form attachments. My instincts- I wouldn't have wanted to be near you if I hadn't had umm, formed positive feelings towards you. Most alphas... don't. Not for humans at least. But I grew up with humans as part of my pack. My little sister and Kenna and others. It's second nature to me to consider the people I care about to be pack," he explained, staring down at the table as the tips of his ears flamed red. "There's no secret initiation and it has nothing to do with how you came to live here. It's all on me. Because I wanted you to be." 

It was quiet in the kitchen for a while and Derek prayed like hell that Kenna would come down soon but he could hear her shuffling in her room, brushing teeth and looking for clothes. Derek was starting to feel awkward and antsy again and he bit down on his lip until he started talking again. "I know you don't... particularly like me. I wouldn't like myself either if I were you. I understand. So if you...if you'd prefer I keep my distance from you then I can do that. I won't bother you or anything if that's what you want," he said, staring down at the tines of his fork scraping through the syrup before he stood up. "I just...want you to be comfortable here. Maybe even happy someday."

Stiles didn’t know what to say. Part of him felt horrible that Derek felt so guilty for what he did when he did it out of comfort and protection. Part of him felt horrible that he felt any kind of sympathy towards a werewolf for anything, but Derek was different. Stiles had never met a werewolf like Derek and he doubted that he ever would again. The more Derek spoke, the worse Stiles felt. Derek wanted him to be happy here, but Stiles couldn’t stay here. He had to get back to his father, and he refused to forget that. Without him, his dad didn’t stand a chance, not for much longer. Not when he got too old to keep up. Stiles watched Derek stand and go to rinse his plate. He stayed seated for a few seconds before gathering his own plate and coming to stand next to Derek at the sink, making the conscious decision to be close to him. It was the same as Kenna. Stiles wasn’t going to burst Derek’s bubble. He may be a werewolf, but Stiles had faith in his pretending abilities. 

“I don’t think I ever said thanks,” Stiles said quietly, “I know I’m stubborn and rude and sarcastic, but I know when someone’s saved my ass, and you have.” He was silent for a moment, struggling with what to say. “If… If Deucalion had been the one who got me,” Stiles’ grip on the plate got tighter, his hands trembling ever so slightly, “I know that he’d have me on my knees one way or another.” Stiles had been able to tell immediately by a glance what kind of person Deucalion was. He never would have made it out of that werewolf’s den alive. Stiles put his dishes in the sink quickly, moving to hide his shaking hands behind his back. He pasted on a small smile, nothing more than a tug at the corners of his lips. “So, Kenna said you’d show me the dishwasher,” he said quickly, wanting to change the subject as soon as possible.

Derek growled softly at the mention of Deucalion and what he'd be using Stiles for right then if Derek hadn't outbid him. He calmed himself down though and showed Stiles the ropes of the kitchen; how to work the dishwasher and what buttons to push and where the little soap capsules were underneath the sink. He showed Stiles where everything went in the cabinets and where the pens were and the grocery list; that Stiles was welcome to anything in the fridge or pantry (unlike some weres who kept their fridges locked up so the humans couldn't steal food) as long as he put something on the list when they ran out so that Derek could get more. 

Kenna came back down in tight jeans and sandals with a plain white cotton V-neck and a black and grey patterned sweater, hair braided on the sides of her head and coiled at the nape of her neck. "Ready to go, boys?" She asked with a smile and Derek nodded, grabbing keys from a drawer. "Garage is this way, Stiles. Do you know how to drive?" she asked as they followed Derek through a small hallway off the kitchen to a door that led to the garage. He unlocked the doors to a sleek black Camaro and climbed into the drivers seat quietly, turning on the radio. 

Stiles paid attention when Derek showed him the workings of the kitchen, not wanting to forget anything. For the time that he was here, Stiles was going to do his part and follow the rules, more for Kenna’s sake than for anything else. She genuinely enjoyed living here and Stiles wasn’t about to throw a wrench into her lifestyle. He smiled when she came back into the kitchen, grateful for the third party. He and Derek often got stuck in awkward silences or even worse conversations, but when Kenna was around it was mostly normal. 

“Umm, I’ve driven a getaway vehicle on occasion,” Stiles said with a small laugh, “Never actually a car though. I can drive a tractor, a lawnmower, a golf cart, and in one rare situation, a delivery truck.” That’s how Stiles’ father liked to keep him out of the action. They would go into some small town on a resource mission for extra food and medical supplies, and Stiles would be the lookout, laying in wait until his party came rushing out, needing a quick escape. Stiles always made sure to have one. The delivery truck had been his favorite. He accidentally stole a truck filled to the brim with birthday cakes. All the kids in their encampment had been over the moon. 

Derek and Kenna shared a look as Derek pulled out of the garage as soon as the door was up. Getaway car typically meant fugitives, which meant that Stiles had been part of a group of humans trying to run from enslavement. Which meant that Stiles potentially had friends or family out there, which meant he was a greater flight risk. That made Derek antsy and uncertain. He didn't want to let Stiles go, didn't want to risk him running away to return to them only to be captured again and end up in someone else's custody besides Derek's. Someone like Deucalion who wouldn't hesitate to get into Stiles' space, to use him for whatever suited their fancy. The thought had Derek's mind reeling and he wanted to hit something or someone. 

Kenna cleared her throat and smiled at Stiles, choosing not to bring it up in case he didn't want to talk about it. "That's funny," she told him as they drove out of the gates and onto a smooth county road that led into town. "So, what are you interested in? What's your favorite subject to learn about? History? English? Math?" she inquired, changing the subject as she sensed Derek's discomfort with the previous one. 

“I don’t really have a favorite subject,” Stiles said with a shrug, “I just kind of go for whatever has my interest for that day. I, uhh, I have ADHD, so I’m never really focused for long. I mean, I could be. When I was younger, around maybe eleven or twelve, my dad would go out into towns and try to get me Adderall, but it was too dangerous so I told him to stop. The withdrawal was shit for the first few days, but after it was all out of my system I leveled out and learned to cope.” Wow, he hadn’t expected so many words to come out of his mouth. It was like word vomit. He just couldn’t stop talking. He just needed to steer himself in a different direction, a less personal direction. 

“I, umm, I remember this one time we’d gotten a lucky break,” Stiles started, “We found this high school with no night janitors. All the adults headed to the cafeteria for food, but I couldn’t help myself and I went to the library. I spent the entire time reading about the history of the male circumcision. The next time I found myself in a library it was all about the Ancient Egyptians. It’s just whatever looks interesting at the time.” 

Kenna laughed out loud at that last part and even Derek cracked an amused smile as he peered at Stiles in the rear view mirror. He wanted to offer Stiles to look into getting him the medication that he needed but he figured he'd overwhelmed him enough the past twenty-four hours that offering him something else could wait. 

"Well maybe you could teach Derek something about circumcisions," Kenna said teasingly as she reached over to flick Derek on the ear playfully. Derek just bared his teeth at her but it wasn't malicious or filled with any ill intent, just the fond annoyance of two people who'd grown up in the same house. 

"I know what circumcisions are, you idiot," he hissed as the tips of his ears went red again, chancing a glance at Stiles in the mirror before refocusing his gaze resolutely on the road ahead. 

"Yeah but you're not," Kenna pointed out and Derek groaned. 

"Why are you so damn inappropriate?" he bemoaned with a soft groan that silently asked how this is his life and why he got stuck with this girl as a part of it. "You're practically engaged and you're talking about my- about that. What is wrong with you?" 

"Please, you're like my annoying older brother and I've seen you naked more times than I've wanted to," she told him and then twisted in her seat to peer at Stiles. "Seriously, no modesty in the werewolf world especially with the rare alphas like Derek who shift fully. Clothes don't pop into and out of existence so nakedness is a thing that happens often. I hope you aren't squeamish."

"I hate you," Derek grumbled viciously but Kenna just scratched her nails through his hair and smiled smugly as he fought not to melt into her touch but gave in at the end anyways. 

"No you don't," she told him confidently and he glared at the road as if it had personally offended him.

Stiles’ face was the brightest shade of red that it could possibly be. He was quite used to nakedness. There wasn’t much privacy in a thrown-together camp in the middle of the woods. You were lucky if you had a sheet in the winter most times. No, it wasn’t exactly the discussion that was making him turn red, more of a realization. Derek had been fully shifted when they were asleep together. That meant that technically, Derek had been naked. Stiles had technically been snuggling up against Derek’s naked stomach. He now also knew way more information about Derek’s… personal bits than he wanted to know about anyone’s bits except for his own. 

“So Kenna,” Stiles said loudly, face still pink, “What exactly are we trying to get in town today? Is there some kind of list, because I tend to forget things. Wouldn’t want to forget anything. Nope, it is quite important to find everything we need, obviously or we wouldn’t be going into town.” He knew he was rambling. It happened when he got nervous or embarrassed. Despite knowing that it was happening, Stiles was completely powerless to stop it. Someone usually had to physically shut him up. Kenna just laughed at the two of them. 

“Well, you need an entire wardrobe. We can’t have you wearing Derek’s clothes all the time,” she said, giving Derek a knowing smile, “We need some things for your room too. I was also going to buy some more canvas for myself. Anything you need Derek?” Stiles watched her talk and the more she did, the more he got the feeling that she knew something he didn’t but he had no idea what that good possibly be and he found that it made him nervous.

Derek was blushing just as fiercely as Stiles was and he didn't really mind the rambling because it meant that he didn't have to ramble himself which he would've done just to break up the silence. He ignored Kenna's gazes and focused on the road, trying and failing to tune out of their conversation until she dragged him back into it reluctantly. He tried to think of anything he needed and shook his head with a shrug as Kenna rolled her eyes and looked back at Stiles. 

"He always says he doesn't need anything. You'll learn that sometimes he'll spend days in his office without coming out. He'll just sit in there and sketch out his blueprints until they're perfect whenever inspiration strikes. Those are the days that are boring but nice because all I have to do, we have to do now, is make sure he eats something so he doesn't starve," Kenna told Stiles with an easy smile, still twisted around in her seat so that she could face him. "Sometimes if I'm feeling nice I put a blanket around his shoulders."

It was interesting to see how close Derek and Kenna were despite the age difference and the species difference. He had never seen a relationship like that between a werewolf and a human before. A fleeting thought passed through his head, wondering if he and Derek could ever be that close. Stiles stopped that train of thought before it even left the station. He wasn't staying and thoughts like that were dangerous. Still, a quick image flashed through Stiles' head of Derek having fell asleep on his desk, a blanket thrown haphazardly over his shoulders. A small smile tugged at Stiles' lips without him even noticing. 

"How kind of you," Stiles said to Kenna, playful sarcasm dripping from his words, "What a saint." He sent her a grin and received a wide one in return.

"I know," she said with a grin. She turned and looked out the windshield and saw that the town was coming into view. "I think we should go clothes shopping first," Kenna decided, "And don't worry, we won't let you look stupid." Stiles made a face at her but smiled soon after. He found that he did genuinely like Kenna and that worried him. He couldn't form attachments. 

Derek huffed a little breath of amusement but let the two humans carry on the conversation, bickering back and forth like they were brother and sister and had known each other forever. He listened to them and the radio alternatively until they got into town and Derek headed for the strip mall type thing that Kenna directed him to which had a lot of clothing shops and such along it looked like. He pulled into a spot and then cut the engine, climbing out of the car and waiting for the other two before heading towards the daunting looking row of shiny windows with large displays of clothes and bags and shoes and even lingerie in a couple that made Derek's ears go red. 

"What kind of clothes do you like, Stiles?" Kenna asked as she looked over at him but didn't wait for an answer as she let her eyes skim over his body appreciatively with a nod of her head. "You look like a khaki skinny jeans and plaid shirt kind of guy. Mmm, converse?" she suggested, leading them into a store and letting the boys go first before following. 

"Please don't overwhelm him okay? We've got a long day and we don't have a deadline, just take your time alright?" Derek requested with fond exasperation, glancing over at Stiles. "I will apologize in advance for her. She's pushy and likes to shop." 

Stiles could see Kenna's eyes skimming over him and no matter how clinical they were, his cheeks went a bit pink and he felt the urge to cover up despite the fact the he was wearing clothes. "I don't really know what I like to wear?" Stiles answered her, phrasing the statement like a question under her scrutiny, "Really just whatever was available and fit for the most part." He couldn't afford to be picky when it came to clothing. If he didn't want to run around naked, he had to take what he was given. Kenna seemed to know what she was talking about and Stiles felt like he was definitely in capable hands. 

He ended up walking next to Derek as they went into the store and he wasn't exactly sure how that happened. He managed a bit of a smile when Derek warned Kenna against overwhelming him. In all honesty, he was pretty overwhelmed already. Every instinct that he had developed over the course of his life was telling him to run and hide. His body was visibly tense, eyes watchful, and anyone would be able to see that he was wrestling with his fight or flight response. Stiles had never been in a place like this that he could remember when it was open. They would go to places like this on resource missions when everything was closed, but now it was open and crawling with werewolves. 

"I'm putting myself in your capable hands," Stiles said to Kenna with a forced smile, his hands clenched into fists. He didn't like being somewhere where he was do vastly outnumbered and unarmed. It made him extremely uncomfortable, but he didn't want Kenna to know. 

Derek could feel the tension coming off Stiles' body and he hesitated before reaching out to place his hand on the small of Stiles' back in an attempt to reassure him that he was safe, that Derek wouldn't let anything happen to him. Yes, werewolves were everywhere but Derek was there too and he'd protect Stiles and Kenna. Kenna moved through the store easily, pulling clothes from the racks in a few different sizes; button downs and t-shirts and jeans and belts so that they could work on finding the right sizes. After they got a size they could work on styles and putting real outfits together. 

She piled clothes into Derek and Stiles' arms, using them like pack mules. Derek didn't even bother arguing or protesting because he knew that she would just steamroll right over him and continue on her merry way. A few workers came over to ask if they needed help but Derek and Kenna both waved them away when Stiles looked uncomfortable and nervous. Whenever he started looking too flighty or fidgety, Derek would reach out to touch him just briefly and wondered quietly why it made Stiles' heart skip and then slow into something more relaxed. It made his lips curl up at the corners for whatever reason. 

Eventually Kenna declared they had enough and lead them to the dressing room, pushing Stiles into a large one with all of the clothes and then pulling the curtain shut. "We'll go look at shoes after we find you clothes," she told him as she and Derek leaned against the wall outside to wait. 

Stiles wasn’t all there at the store. He was sometimes, when Kenna would ask his opinion on something and he could only shrug and agree, not entirely sure what would look good on him or not. It was when Derek would touch him that he wasn’t there. Every time that Stiles felt himself getting worked up and nervous, Derek would reach out without fail and give him a small touch for a fraction of a second. Stiles’ body would react for him, calming down just a bit and in some cases, even relaxing into the touch, moving towards it. It was then that Stiles would disappear into his mind, trying to figure out what the hell was going on. 

He found himself being shoved into a dressing room with probably half the store in his arms. Stiles almost groaned, but he kept it in. He didn’t want to seem ungrateful. He honestly felt a little guilty that they were doing so much for him and he didn’t even plan on staying. He would have to do something in return for them before he left. Say thank you somehow. Pushing it out of his mind for now, Stiles tried on outfit after outfit, seeing what sizes fit, getting scolded by Kenna for putting things that didn’t match together, fighting a blush on his face if he felt he looked particularly ridiculous. 

“Are we done now?” Stiles asked, pushing open the curtain for the last time. This was the last pair of jeans he had to try on. He still had the button down from the previous few times on, though this time it was hanging open in hopes to be taken off quickly if Kenna said they were finished. 

“Lift and turn,” Kenna said, gesturing with her finger for Stiles to spin slowly. She made him do this for every pair of pants. Stiles didn’t understand. These were only jeans, and skinny jeans at that. They did feel a little too tight. Still, he lifted the edges of the shirt enough so that Kenna could see the waistband, and probably a sliver of his back and turned. Kenna made noises that may or may not have been approval, surprising Stiles by saying, “What do you think, Derek?” Derek hadn’t spoken all during this process, letting Kenna work through every item of clothing on her own and decide whether or not it worked. “Turn again, Stiles,” she said, telling him to stop when his back was facing them. Stiles felt suspiciously like he was being ogled at, but he knew that it was a joke at most so he just sighed and waited. 

Derek was pretty sure he knew what Kenna was doing. Kenna had to have seen how Derek looked at Stiles with affection, which was stupid because Stiles had only been with them for a day. It made zero sense for him to have formed any kind of attachment to him. But there it was. Derek knew that the more time he spent with Stiles the more his attachment would strengthen and feelings would grow and that was really, really dangerous for him considering what had happened the last time he'd fallen in love with a human. It was the reason Derek hated Deucalion with such a passion. 

So Kenna was dressing Stiles up and making him parade around for the sake of "fashion" and maybe that was part of it but Kenna was looking at him for reactions much more often than she should be. She was parading Stiles in front of Derek so she could confirm her suspicions that he liked him or was at least attracted to him which duh. Stiles was... god he was very much Derek's type. His sisters were never going to let him live it down once they met Stiles and found out how much Derek had overbid on him; doubling the starting price right off the bat just so that Deucalion wouldn't have him. 

When Kenna asked his opinion, Derek spluttered softly and forced his eyes away from Stiles' ass that he'd been very unsubtly staring at each time Stiles came out. His gaze was drawn to Stiles' smooth pale skin and Derek bit hard at the inside of his cheek, drawing blood and having it heal instantly. He blew out a breath and let himself look for a little bit too long before looking away, tips of his ears beet red. He cleared his throat and nodded, rubbing the back of his neck. "They, uh, they look- you look...good, Stiles," he answered with a nod, chancing a glance at the human again. "Really... yeah. So shoes now?" 

Kenna rolled her eyes and shook her head, nudging Stiles back into the dressing room. "Hardly. We're buying an entire wardrobe here, Der-Bear. We have his sizes and now we have to go find more things in the right sizes. It's still pretty warm out but it's gonna be winter soon so we may as well get him some clothes for when it starts to cool down. Shirts and sweaters and everything. We'll get him a nice vest and a tie for when we go over to your parents' for dinner. You know how they like us to present ourselves for that. Laura likes to complain about it. Loudly." 

Derek sighed but couldn't exactly disagree. Usually he could get away with jeans and a button down and a blazer, thankfully. He hated wearing suits, would prefer to be comfortable. Actually he would prefer to be allowed to show up at his parents' house for dinner in sweats and not have an eye batted at him. But his mom liked them to dress nicely for dinner. Outside of their every-other-Friday dinners and holidays, they didn't care what was worn. 

Stiles let out an audible groan this time when he heard Kenna say that they had to go back out and get more things to try on. He was so completely done with clothes. He never wanted wear clothes again for the rest of his life he was so worn out. As soon as he was back in Derek’s borrowed clothes, Kenna came into the dressing room and started separating things into piles. What fit and looked good went in one pile while what didn’t fit or didn’t look good went in another. The pile of things that fit was pretty large. 

“Derek, ask someone to hold this dressing room for us?” Kenna called out while she was separating, “We have too many things to just carry around the store and it would be easier to leave it all here.” Against his will, Stiles did feel a little nervous with the fact that Derek wasn’t standing outside the dressing room anymore. Though he didn’t understand it and wasn’t sure he wanted to, he did feel a bit calmer when Derek was around. He didn’t have too long to think about it though because seconds later a pile of clothes was thrust into his arms. “Go put this on the cart at the entrance to the dressing room,” she said, “So that they know they can put these away since we’re not taking them.” Stiles followed her instructions, and in the few seconds it took him to do that, Derek was back with an employee that was reserving the dressing room for them. The three exited the dressing room and Kenna dragged the boys around the store again. 

“I really don’t think I’m ever going to be able to wear all this,” Stiles said around the pile of shirts in his hands. He had been assigned shirts and Derek had been assigned pants. 

“Of course you will,” Kenna said, waving him off, “Unless you plan on getting fat, in which case you should tell us now.” 

“I’m not gonna get fat,” Stiles muttered, pouting without even realizing. She had a point though, and Stiles would have to make sure he kept up some form of exercise while he was here so he didn’t go soft. He couldn’t have himself go back out there just to get winded from a little run. He wondered if there was somewhere safe that he could go for a jog. As long as he was without weapons, other werewolves were a very real threat to be taken very seriously. 

“Okay, now we just need some nicer clothes, something to wear for special occasions,” Kenna said. She took the pile from Stiles’ arms and deposited it on top of Derek’s pile. “Go put those in the dressing room, please, and make sure to keep it separate from the pile he tried on already,” she instructed, “Stiles and I will meet you there in a moment.” It was clear that Kenna was very much in charge in this situation. She whisked Stiles away to where the suits and button downs were and picked out three different outfits. Something extremely fancy, something moderately fancy, and something casually fancy. Stiles didn’t really understand the difference while she was talking. All he knew was that one of pairs of pants was bright red, with a waistcoat to match, and he wasn’t so sure about that. Kenna directed him back towards the dressing room where Derek was waiting and nudged him through the curtain. 

“What do you want me to try on first?” he asked, staring at the mountain of clothes he was meant to wear. 

“The suits,” she said easily, “But tell me when you’re finished so I can come in and make sure you did it right.” Kenna did that for every suit, giving Derek a grin as she made sure he didn’t even catch a glimpse. As far as she was concerned, Stiles’ nice clothes were going to be a surprise for the werewolf whenever he wore them. After that, it proceeded much like the first time. Stiles would put on two items of clothing, Kenna would give a nod or a shake of her head, and they would move on. Stiles nearly cheered when they were finished and he could get back into Derek’s clothes and never look at a pair of pants again. 

Derek was honestly itching to see what Stiles looked like in those suits, to see the way the trouser pants would hug his hips and ass and thighs and the vests would emphasize his broad shoulders and narrow waist. The thought of Stiles in a suit did something very shocking - but not entirely unexpected if he thinks about it - to Derek and he found himself wanting, very acutely, to touch and hold and have. And that was one hundred percent not allowed. Well, it was allowed in the eyes of the law but Derek couldn't, shouldn't want Stiles like that. It was wrong. Stiles was sixteen years old. Derek couldn't ruin him like that. The thought of touching Stiles like that sent his brain warring inside, torn between arousal and disgust at himself for even thinking that he had any right to him. It didn't help that he was completely wrapped in Derek's scent, making Derek inhale and think mine. 

When they were finally done, when their pile of 'yes' clothes was a great deal bigger than their 'no' pile and Stiles came out wrapped in Derek's clothes, Derek simultaneously relaxed and itched to touch. He shoved his hands deep into his pockets so he wouldn't do anything risky. "I'll, uh, I'll get someone to come get the clothes, hold them for us behind the register until we're ready to go," he said before scurrying away and completely ignoring Kenna's knowing smirk. 

"Okay, now shoes," she told him with a nod and a smile. "Those are easier, don't worry. Boys don't need a lot of shoes at least. You'll need a pair of black dress shoes and brown dress shoes, probably a pair or two of comfortable tennis shoes or Converse of some sort. Do you like sandals? We'll get a pair of sandals just in case." 

Derek reappeared with a small blonde woman trailing behind him and staring very obviously at his ass. She brushed Derek's arm and shoulder much more than necessary but he just looked uncomfortable and stiff as he asked her to hold the clothes behind the register. She purred and simpered and Derek sent Kenna a wide eyed look begging for help, just like he always did when women were trying to get at him. She sighed silently and gave him a look like this was a huge hardship and then put on a huge grin. 

"Okay, honey, let's move onto the shoe section, shall we?" Kenna suggested, reaching for Derek and sliding her hand down his arm over the places the woman had touched before lacing their fingers. "We've got to get back home so we can fix dinner for the kids. You know how they get. C'mon, Stiles." Kenna held onto Derek's arm and pulled Stiles by the wrist as the blonde woman looked almost devastated watching Derek get away like that. 

As soon as they were away out of earshot, Derek relaxed and Kenna let go, straightening her top and giving Derek a look. "I really hate when women do that," Derek grumbled softly, face scrunched up like he'd just been doused in green slime or something just as disgusting. "It makes me feel dirty." 

Stiles listened to Kenna talk about the shoes, glad that he wouldn’t need that much. Hopefully this should go quickly. Stiles was starting to get really hungry and he was definitely looking to get some lunch. When Derek returned with a rather attractive blonde employee, he couldn’t help but notice the way she was all over him. It was kind of gross, the way that she was completely throwing herself at him. I mean, yes Derek was irrationally attractive, but that wasn’t an excuse to be disgustingly shallow. Stiles found himself becoming angry for almost no reason, his jaw clenched as he watched with narrowed eyes. 

“They’re the ones that should feel dirty,” he muttered to himself, forgetting that there was a large chance that Derek had easily heard him. He had no idea why he felt like this. He had no reason to, no right to. He was glad when Kenna solved the problem, pulling both of them away so Stiles wouldn’t have to think about it anymore. “So shoes and then lunch please?” Stiles said, casting a quick glance at Derek and then Kenna. As if trying to prove that he was hungry, Stiles’ stomach chose that moment to growl loudly, causing an embarrassed flush to color his cheeks. 

“Sure,” Kenna said with a laugh, “We can get the things for your room after lunch then. Have you decided what you think you want?”

“I don’t know,” Stiles said with a loose shrug of his shoulders, a noncommittal teenage tone to his voice. 

“Well you should probably think about it,” Kenna smiled, “It’s your room after all.” Stiles just gave her a weak smile. If everything went according to plan, it would only be Stiles’ room for about a month or so. He felt bad even thinking that now. Kenna and Derek have been so kind to him, giving him everything without even hesitating, trying their hardest to make him comfortable and Stiles was just going to throw it all away. He had to remind himself that his father was out there without him. That should be all the motivation he needed. 

“Hey, this is going to sound weird, but what day of the week is it?” Stiles asked. They had no way to keep track of that in the encampment, and it was never very important to Stiles. He never had a reason to keep track of the days of the week, just the full moon. Kenna had said something earlier about some sort of family dinner on Friday and Stiles wanted to know how soon he had to prepare himself for something like that. 

“It’s Thursday,” Kenna said, scanning the shelves for the types of shoes that Stiles would need after taking a glance at Stiles’ feet and guessing towards his size. Stiles tripped over his own feet in surprise, falling flat on his face. Typical. He had one day before walking into a den full of werewolves, unprotected and probably wearing a suit. 

“Great,” he mumbled, not even bothering to get up as he lay there in defeat. It’s not like he really needed to get up. Kenna seemed to be doing fine without him, already amassing what seemed to be a wall of shoeboxes. She was scarily good at shopping. 

Derek's lips curled up at the corners at Stiles' comment about the others who should feel dirty, not Derek, and he nudged his elbow against Stiles' very briefly. He followed Kenna along as she and Stiles spoke, agreeing with having lunch before doing anymore shopping. Because Derek was pretty hungry too considering he'd not eaten a lot of his breakfast. 

When Stiles fell over Derek startled and crouched down as Kenna kept on moving, completely unsympathetic and unflinching. Derek looked down at him with some level of concern and some level of amusement and he furrowed his brows. "Are you okay down there?" he asked before offering Stiles a hand. And if he let his grip linger just a touch too long well Stiles probably didn't even notice right? Didn't notice how Derek's thumb pressed against the inside of his wrist just to feel his pulse, the way his blood drummed through his body, alight with life. Derek wanted. So he pulled away and took a half step back just as Kenna came by and dumped several shoe boxes in his arms. 

"Have Stiles try these on then let me know his correct size," she told him before disappearing into the aisles again, completely and utterly unconcerned that she was a mere human in a building full of werewolves. Kenna was strong and fearless and though she knew what other werewolves were capable of other werewolves also knew that the Hales were very protective of their humans and so would never dare to touch one if they knew what was good for them. 

Derek sighed and sent Stiles an apologetic look but led the way to the bench and then started to take lids off shoe boxes, taking out the tissue from inside and handing them to Stiles one by one to try on. They figured out he's a ten and a half and Kenna swept away all of the boxes of shoes in the wrong size and reappeared with different ones in the right sizes. "Just walk a few steps to make sure they're comfortable," she told him and folded her arms, leaning against Derek's side when the blonde woman from before passed by them. Derek put an arm around Kenna automatically but it didn't mean anything more than familial love. There would never be anything more than that between them.

If Stiles’ pulse jumped when Derek took his hand and helped him up, that was a private thing and there didn’t have to be any comments on it. It could easily be written off as Stiles being nervous when Derek touched him or being embarrassed from falling over in the first place. Stiles almost wanted to slap himself across the face and snap himself out of it. Derek was a twenty three year old werewolf. There was no chance in heaven or hell that he would want Stiles. Not that Stiles wanted Derek to want him. The boy sat down with a thump when Derek led him over to a bench, resisting the urge to put his head in his hands. He was experiencing some severe emotional whiplash and it was definitely not fun. Maybe he should do some research when they returned to the house. 

Stiles tried on all the shoes that Kenna brought him, getting up and walking a few steps like she wanted him to. They all felt a bit stiff, but he was told that he would only need to break them in. He wasn’t used to having new shoes. Besides the unyielding feeling, the shoes that Kenna brought him were comfortable for the most part and he made sure to tell her. The quicker they made decisions, the quicker Stiles got food. In the end, they got the two different colors of dress shoes, the Converse sneakers, a pair of sandals, and after a stammered request, a pair of running shoes. Stiles felt weird asking for things, as though he shouldn’t, but he Kenna reassured him it was fine. 

He and Derek carried the shoes while Kenna strode ahead of them confidently to the register. Stiles could honestly say that he admired her attitude. She was only human in a store filled to the brim with werewolves, not all of them like Derek, but she held herself as an equal. It was nice to see. An employee rung up everything at the counter and Stiles’ jaw nearly hit the floor when he saw the final amount. It seemed he was the only one who was surprised. Before he could even spit out some kind of protest, everything was paid for and they were laden with bags. Stiles sighed. They were doing way too much for him. 

“Hey, umm, I have to go to the bathroom,” Stiles said. 

“Alright,” Kenna said with an understanding smile, seeming to catch on to how overwhelmed Stiles was getting, “There’s a public restroom right there. We’ll wait here.” Stiles turned and looked in the direction that she was pointing and nodded. He left the bags he was carrying with them and made his way into the men’s room. Luckily, it was empty. 

“God, get it together Stiles,” he said firmly to his reflection, splashing a little cool water on his face. He figured he may as well do what he said he was going to do, so he went to relieve himself. Moments after he finished, the door opened and a man entered. Not a man, a werewolf. He was huge, muscles bulging with a shaved head. Stiles ignored the way his heartbeat shot up as he went to wash his hands. He could swear that he felt eyes on him. When he was drying them off, Stiles turned around against his better judgment. “Can I help you with something?” Stiles asked, his mouth speaking before his brain could tell him that that was a horrible idea. Seconds later, Stiles found himself pressed up against the wall, a forearm crushing his throat. 

“What makes you think you can talk to me like that?” the werewolf growled, eyes flashing red, “It seems you weren’t trained very well.”

“Yeah well, dogs should know better than to jump on strangers,” Stiles wheezed out, his eyes hard. The arm pressed harder against his throat, making it much more difficult to breathe. 

“Someone’s got balls,” the werewolf snarled. 

“And someone’s about to lose theirs,” Stiles gasped, shoving his knee as hard as he possibly could into the werewolf’s groin. Intimidation 101: Never leave their legs free. The werewolf let out a pained howl and stumbled back. Advanced healing or not, getting kneed was still going to hurt. As soon as Stiles was dropped down, he made a dash for the door, ignoring the way he couldn’t breathe. He didn’t run when he was outside, not wanting Derek and Kenna to know that something was wrong, but he walked quickly over to them, reaching the pair just as the enraged werewolf burst out of the bathroom, his eyes locking on Stiles. He stalked up to Derek, eyes flashing angrily. 

“You need to control your pet,” he spat at Derek. 

Derek was wary of letting Stiles go into the restroom alone but figured it would be crossing a line and pretty damn creepy too if he followed Stiles in so he waited with Kenna. She patted his back and told him everything would be okay and he tried to believe her, tried to calm down. He was finally starting to relax when the bathroom door slammed open and Stiles power walked over to them, smelling like terror and another alpha. Kenna reached out to pull Stiles behind her immediately and Derek was going to demand questions but then the other Alpha was there and he understood. Derek didn't even think before reacting, getting a hand around the alpha's throat and slamming him into the nearest wall hard enough that the plaster cracked. Derek was quicker and taller even if the guy had more muscle on him but as soon as Derek had him by the throat two inches from the ground with his knee digging into the guy's crotch the guy was powerless. 

"Call him a pet again and I will rip your balls from your body and feed them to you," Derek snarled, eyes going red and ignoring the way a few werewolves came over. "Do you have any idea who I am?" At the man's blank look Derek leaned in to sniff and then a feral smirk stretched out his lips. "A stranger. Of course you don't. Alpha Derek Hale," he said, emphasizing his last name and the man's face went whiter than a ghost. "Son of Talia Hale. You touched someone who is in my pack who didn't give you their permission, left bruises on him. I could have you arrested," Derek snarled. The man swallowed audibly and tried to glare but it was weak with fright. Derek stared at him for a long hard moment and then his mother's voice came to his head just because you were born a predator doesn't make you a killer. And he wouldn't kill this guy, no matter how much he wanted to. He was furious at him for laying a hand on Stiles but he couldn't do it. So he let the man drop to the floor like a ragdoll.

Kenna was standing bodily in front of Stiles, bags on the ground forgotten and an arm curled behind her around Stiles' waist. She kept him close, ready to run if Derek gave the signal. The other werewolves wouldn't dare touch them, not after this. There was a reason that no one messed with the Hales and this was exactly why. Or at least part of the reason. She watched as Derek crouched down to mutter something too low for human ears to pick up and glanced back at Stiles, squeezing him. 

"If you ever come near one of my pack again - any of them - I will end your entire line, do you understand me?" Derek growled softly and the man glared at Derek but nodded his head. Derek snarled at him one more time and then stood up, left him there. He took a deep breath and elongated canines retracted back into his gums, claws shrank to human bluntness, and crimson eyes faded back to green. 

Kenna relaxed when Derek turned away from the alpha and came towards them. He hesitated a few feet away, trying to gauge whether or not Stiles was afraid of him. But when Derek looked at Stiles he wasn't the terrifying monster who'd just held up a man against the wall, his expression was full of concern and apologies, eyes soft and worried. "Stiles? Are you alright? Where did he hurt you?" he asked, wanting to reach out and soothe, touch and reassure but he still wasn't sure whether or not Stiles was afraid. 

This was exactly what Stiles had wanted to avoid, people making a fuss. Derek had nearly decapitated the alpha that Stiles had antagonized, something that completely surprised the human. Despite the fact that Derek had already demonstrated his protectiveness in front of Deucalion, this was different somehow. This was just a little scuffle in the bathroom, there was no real threat, and Stiles really was fine. Yet Derek had still reacted with the severity and ferocity as though Stiles had been fatally injured. 

Watching Derek partially shift to protect him was surreal. Stiles couldn’t look away, completely captivated by the sight. He looked like a predator, as though he could rip the man in half like he was a piece of paper and nothing more. It was both reassuring and terrifying at the same time, but when Derek turned around, Stiles found he wasn’t scared. That surprised him. For all his sarcasm and bravery, it didn’t mean that he was not afraid. Werewolves honestly did scare him; he just didn’t let his fear control his actions. The fact that Derek didn’t scare him, even after seeing the man shift, was a little daunting and Stiles definitely felt like he wanted to do some research on what was happening here. 

“I’m fine,” Stiles said, his voice a little rough. He coughed a bit to clear his throat, “He just kind of introduced my neck to his arm and my back to the wall.” He tried saying it in a nonchalant, vaguely funny way to show that he really was fine. Yeah, his neck hurt a bit, but it wasn’t anything extreme. He felt bad for worrying Derek and Kenna, both of which were staring at him with concern. “I’m really fine guys,” he said, giving them a small, lopsided smile, “It doesn’t even really hurt. If anything, I would say I did more damage to him, even if it only lasted a few seconds. I got in a nice hit to his personal bits.” 

Stiles could see this strange expression on Derek’s face, as though he was trying to keep himself from doing something. After a moment of careful deliberation, Stiles reached out and clapped the werewolf on the shoulder briefly, taking his hand back almost as quickly as it had been there. “I swear I’m okay,” he said again.

“As long as you’re sure,” Kenna finally said, choosing to believe Stiles rather than make a bigger deal out of this than she had to, “Why don’t we get lunch?” Stiles gave her a nod and they all picked up their bags and such. He ended up nearly sandwiched between Derek and Kenna as they walked. He almost wanted to roll his eyes, but he knew they were just trying to protect him. A small smile tugged at the corners of his lips without his permission. 

Derek didn't really seem all to convinced that Stiles was okay and when the younger man touched his shoulder Derek wanted to pull him in and hold him tightly. He wanted to bury his face in the crook of Stiles' neck and make sure he smelled like nobody else, take away any pair of slight discomfort he was feeling. He wanted to have and touch and hold and take but he kept himself in careful control. He's sixteen, he's sixteen, he doesn't want you, he's sixteen and you're a monster, he thought over and over again like a mantra in his head and it kept him level headed enough not to push his way into Stiles' personal space anymore than Stiles allowed him to. 

When they headed for the car, Derek made sure to keep close to Stiles and so did Kenna. Derek hesitated and then just rested a hand on the small of Stiles' back high enough that it wouldn't be considered inappropriate but low enough that he could feel the soft curve of his spine that made Derek want to see what it would feel like under his mouth. Thankfully they were at the car and Derek opened the door for Stiles before helping Kenna put all of their shopping bags in the bed of the truck, locking the cover back in place so no one could steal it while they were at lunch and also so that nothing would fly out from the wind while they were driving. 

Kenna decided she wanted American food so Derek headed for Armadillo Cafe, which offered a wide range of foods to choose from. Kenna flounced into the place like she owned it and inhaled happily, smelling all the different delicious choices. While it was nice for her it was very overwhelming for Derek, the smell of the oil from the fryers and vinegar from pickles and the garbage piling up in the cans. He didn't know how werewolves managed to work there or even come there to eat. 

He felt like he was going to be ill and maybe would've offered to go get a table on the patio - the smell wasn't usually so bad - but after what happened at the shop, Derek wasn't going to leave Stiles- leave either of them alone. Even though he knew Kenna was more than capable of taking care of herself. So he stood in line and breathed in as little as possible. Kenna put in her order - a grilled chicken Caesar salad with a side basket of fried pickles - and waved for Stiles to go next. When he was done Derek ordered his meal - a bacon burger and fried pickles instead of fries and a big glass of tea and then paid the woman, gathering their drinks and their order number and then practically herding the two humans outside to the patio. He took a deep breath of fresh air and tried to push the nausea down so he'd be able to eat. 

Just like when Stiles had felt Derek touch him inside the clothing store, he relaxed into the warm hand on his back before even realizing what he was doing. It just seemed so natural, so instinctual that Stiles should feel calm and relaxed when Derek touched him. He wanted to know why. His mind briefly considered Stockholm syndrome but he quickly dismissed that because the last thing that Derek acted like was a captor. Derek treated him like an equal, protected him like family, and provided for him like pack. Had this been more of a master and victim situation, Stiles definitely would have gone for Stockholm as the explanation, but this was more complex than that. They walked in the same sandwich formation on the way to the little café from the car and this time Stiles didn’t hide his eye roll. 

“I told you guys I’m fine,” he said, false exasperation coloring his tone.

“Tell that to the bruises on your neck,” Kenna said easily, looping her arm through Stiles’ own. On a reflex, one of Stiles’ hands went up to feel around his neck. It was a little tender, but he doubted it was more than slightly colored skin, nothing like dark purple bruises that he had been sporting at the auction house. 

Immediately upon entering the restaurant, Stiles could smell all different kinds of food. He knew that if he could smell it, Derek had to be choking on it. One glance back at the werewolf proved him correct. Derek looked as though he had swallowed something disgusting and was trying his hardest not to regurgitate it. Stiles ordered his food quickly when he was ushered forward- a regular cheeseburger and fries with a soda. Moments later, he and Kenna were whisked outside and Derek was inhaling like a drowning man. 

“You okay there big guy?” Stiles asked, brows raised, a slight smile on his lips as he gave Derek a little nudge with his elbow. It was almost definitely because of Derek’s display of extreme protectiveness, but Stiles felt a little safer around the werewolf. He felt like maybe he could joke around a little now, not be as wary as he was before. His mind was nearly screaming at him that he shouldn’t be forming any kind of attachments to these people, but Stiles couldn’t help it. He was a naturally social person and there was no way he would survive if he didn’t allow himself contact with other people. Besides, how was he supposed to ignore people that were so unnecessarily kind to him? He had known Derek and Kenna for less than a week still, and they had gone out of their way more than once to make sure that he was comfortable and had everything he needed. Stiles didn’t understand why, but it made it almost impossible to hate either of them, no matter how hard he tried. 

Kenna chuckled at Derek sticking his nose up in the wind like a hound dog searching for a scent but she didn't say anything as she chose a table with an umbrella that provided a bit of shade from the bright sun. It was a beautiful day outside, the sky a clear deep blue and the sun shining though it wasn't hot. It was early April in the upper seventies with a warm breeze blowing and Kenna felt good. She took off her sweater she was wearing and laid it across the bench beside her with her purse so that Derek and Stiles would have to sit next to each other on the other side. Derek gave her a suspicious look before sitting down and then glanced at Stiles when he was nudged. 

He just rolled his eyes at the human and bumped their shoulders back again gently, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips despite himself and he knew Kenna hadn't missed it. "How about I give you the extra strength olfactory senses and you can go back in there feeling like you're inhaling liquid peanut oil and vinegar," he responded sarcastically. Obviously that couldn't happen but even if it could, Derek wouldn't bestow that particular nightmare on Stiles. No one deserved that. Derek inhaled deeply again though and this time he smelt Kenna; a soft floral scent like freesia and gardenia and sunflowers with something like fresh turned earth. It was pleasant of course, compared to the foul scent inside. But closer and stronger than that was his own scent mixing around Stiles' and it made his stomach coil tight with want; his own earthy musky scent like redwood and the smell of the air after its just rained and ozone mixed with Stiles' mouthwatering lime and Macintosh apple scent. Derek wanted to roll around in it until they smelled the same and no one could tell them apart. 

He opened his eyes to realize he had leaned quite a bit into Stiles' space and the realization made him flush heavily and pull back quickly with his ears burning red. "I am- I'm so sorry. I got a little, ah, carried away," he apologized sheepishly while Kenna tried to hold back quiet little laughs. 

"That's Derek's way of saying that you smell good," Kenna supplied with a wide smug grin and Derek just sank a little lower, shoulders hunching up around his ears and looking incredibly dejected and apologetic as he mumbled another embarrassed 'I'm sorry'. 

Stiles had laughed at Derek’s sarcastic response, not having known that the werewolf could even be sarcastic. He hadn’t seen too much evidence of a personality from Derek, save for his extreme kindness and generosity and his fierce protectiveness. He liked getting to see a little more of the man, no matter how much his head told him it was a bad idea. Stiles watched Derek inhale another breath of fresh air and he found himself wondering what smells Derek could scent out here. He wondered what he smelled like to the werewolf, what Kenna smelled like. His train of thought was cut off by the realization that Derek was leaning towards him, eyes closed, as though he was completely focused. He was about six inches from Stiles’ body, face heading for the boy’s neck before he opened his eyes and realized what had happened. Stiles’ face had flushed red, his lips parting on instinct without him noticing. He turned away the same time that Derek did, though there should be nothing for him to be embarrassed about. 

“It’s fine,” he said in response to Derek’s multiple apologies. He felt like he was saying that a lot around these two. It was funny. Stiles was constantly reassuring them, when in any normal situation one would think it would have to be the opposite. “It’s a pack thing right?” Stiles asked, turning his head to look at Derek, “Like scenting? Or is this just smelling? Is scenting like mixing scents by touching? I was never really clear on the definitions. I mean, you can if you have to. Scent, I mean. Or is it smell? I just, I mean, your pack instinct, and safer, and I just, yeah. I’ll be quiet now.” Stiles face was spectacularly red and he wasn’t entirely sure what he had just given Derek permission to do, but if his information was reliable, then any scent or whatever that Derek got from him or placed on him should help keep him safe from other werewolves. Kenna was trying not to laugh on her side of the table. 

It was interesting, watching the two boys fumble. It was easy to see that Stiles was extremely confused by his own reactions and yet still desired to touch and be close whether he could see it himself or not. Derek knew exactly what was going on and it was painfully easy to see how hard he was fighting it. Kenna found it kind of cute, in a frustrating way. She was eager to see how it would unfold and how they would eventually figure things out, and she was content to help them along in whatever small way she could. 

Derek peered over at Stiles as he kept asking questions, wondering if it was just a pack thing, if Derek's instincts commanded it, if it needed to be done. He was giving Derek permission, Derek was pretty sure, permission to touch and scent like Derek wanted to but... But he wasn't sure if he started touching whether he'd be able to stop. His fingers twitched on the table, eager to feel, so Derek pulled them down safely into his lap. "It's...a pack thing yes but it's not completely instinct. The wolf side of me...is telling me that I should because it'll mark you as one of us. But it's the human side of me that's telling me that...uh, that I want to," he said slowly, thinking that he hadn't quite explained that right. "It's like. My instinct is telling me the logic but my...gut is telling me the feeling." He didn't want to say his heart because that would just be a little too sappy and romantic for everyone. Derek and Stiles were both bright red already and when their order number was up so was Derek volunteering to get it. 

Kenna just observed quietly with a small interested expression on her face. Derek was ignoring his instincts around Stiles, trying to suppress them. Kenna knew Derek long enough to read body language and he definitely wanted to hold and touch and scent Stiles. But for whatever reason held himself back. Kenna was pretty sure it was because he didn't want to scare Stiles, that he was afraid Stiles would think he was a monster like he feared himself to be and was trying to hide that. But Derek wasn't a monster and Kenna knew that. 

Derek came back with their food and passed it out, sitting down next to Stiles a little more closely than before but if he did it on purpose or noticed he didn't say anything or correct himself, just picked up his burger to take a big bite. He glanced at Stiles from the corner of his eyes and flushed lightly, wanting to touch but holding back. Instead he let his knee bump against Stiles' under the table "accidentally" and then hide a smile in his burger. He liked being close to Stiles. It made him feel relaxed and good. He didn't understand why thought and made a mental note to speak with Deaton. 

Stiles didn’t quite understand what Derek was trying to explain, and he simply added it to the list of things he was going to do some research on when they finally returned home. The thought hit Stiles like a train. Home. He just called Derek’s house his home. Stiles couldn’t remember the last time he had considered somewhere home. He was so caught up in this realization that he barely noticed when Derek fled the table to get their food. Putting this together with the way that he was acting around Kenna and Derek, Stiles could only come to one definite conclusion. He was completely screwed. 

Stiles tore into his food, needing the distraction. It was a good burger and the fries were perfectly cooked as well. The only thing that would make it better was if they were curly fries. He had a mouthful of food when he felt Derek’s knee nudge gently against his own. He couldn’t tell if it had been done on purpose or not, but nonetheless it caused Stiles’ cheeks to go a little pink. He had just gotten rid of the blush on his face too. Stiles spread his own legs a bit so that his and Derek’s knees continued to touch under the table. A stupid little smile spread across his face as he continued to eat. 

“So,” Kenna said with a smile, effectively popping their little bubble made for two, “Stiles, have you thought about what you want to do with your room?” Stiles finished his mouthful and thought for a moment, trying to quickly come up with an idea. 

“Maybe yellow for the walls?” he finally said, phrasing it like a question instead of a statement, “A pale yellow. Like… firelight through a canvas tarp.” That was what they used to pitch the few tents they could manage in the winter, and Stiles’ father always put them closer to the fire pit, so when Stiles went to sleep he would watch the shifting firelight glowing through the tarp. Maybe painting his room that color would make him feel more comfortable. “And… dark blue on the ceiling. Like the night sky in the forest,” he added. He couldn’t really think about anything else he wanted to change. He didn’t want to get any unnecessary furniture or anything like that. 

Derek smiled into his burger when Stiles pressed his knee back against Derek's so Derek pressed a little as well so there was a firm pressure there even if they didn't look at each other or acknowledge it in any way. It made something in Derek's chest settle though and he relaxed a bit closer to Stiles. When Kenna spoke up Derek glanced at her and then at Stiles curiously for his answer. He thought those colors would look nice together. 

"We could get some of those plastic glow in the dark stars if you like," Derek offered but then Kenna perked up excitedly. 

"Oh, or we could buy some glow in the dark paint. You could let me paint the ceiling with trees and stuff like you're actually looking up from the forest and I could do the constellations for you. I've been trying to come up with inspiration to paint," she said, face alight with happiness. It was obvious that she was thrilled with Stiles' presence, liking that she would have extra company around or company at all for when Derek had to work and she was usually left to her own devises. 

Derek smiled at her encouragingly and glanced at Stiles to see what he thought of the idea. Maybe it could be good. Derek was still scared Stiles would try to run. It was obvious that he'd been on the run before he'd been taken to be auctioned and he kept saying 'we' so obviously he left someone behind. Derek was scared Stiles would try to go back and he didn't want to lose Stiles or let him put himself in that sort of danger. He didn't know how to broach the topic though without having Stiles put his walls up. 

Stiles was surprised by Kenna's enthusiasm but he smiled nonetheless. Part of him was worried that it would make him even more "homesick" and would make him miss his father even more. Still, Kenna was so excited and it couldn't really do any harm. Stiles wouldn't have to look at the ceiling if he didn't want to. A brief thought was spared to where he would sleep while his room was undergoing this transformation but he figured that was something that could be worried about later. 

"I would be honored," Stiles said with a grin and he really was. He had seen Kenna's walls and they were amazing. He knew that whatever she did to his ceiling would turn out phenomenal. 

"Great," Kenna said with a wide grin, "We can start tonight, but we won't be able to keep working until Saturday. Dinner on Friday usually calls for attendance around three." Stiles gave her a nod and tried to ignore the way his heartbeat went up a bit. Stiles tried to think of something else to distract him, anything else really. Just something so that Derek wouldn't notice the quick change in his heart rate. Of course, thinking of Derek brought Stiles' attention to where their knees were pressed gently together and that only made it worse. It made his stomach flip flop and his face heat up and he wanted to know why. The conversation went on without him, mostly without Derek as well as Kenna listed everything she would need, using artistic terms that Stiles didn't understand but nodded along to anyway. He continued to eat his food and if he shifted minutely closer to Derek once while he was doing it, no one had to know.


	4. Chapter 4

They finished up their lunch and Kenna got up, eager to get to the store and choose colors. She led the way, walking down the sidewalk with purpose, leaving Stiles and Derek to trail along behind her. Again Stiles found himself admiring her confidence. A large group of werewolves passed them, laughing amongst themselves. Kenna didn't even flinch, moving to the side slightly so they could pass by each other. Stiles, walking beside Derek, had nowhere to go except into the older man. He tried to skirt in front of Derek but he didn't quite make it before the group reached them. Somehow they managed to shove Stiles out of the way without touching him at all, something the human decided then and there that he wanted to learn. Of course, at the moment he was a little more preoccupied with the way he had stumbled back into Derek, pressing against the older man's body as they passed by. 

"Sorry," he mumbled, a light splash of color staining his cheeks.

Derek finished his meal in a good mood, Stiles' leg pressed up against his own and less space between them than they started out with, Kenna's happy voice chattering away as she ate her fried pickles. He gathered and tossed their trash and then let Kenna lead the way back to the lot, thankful that they could go around and not have to go through the building. 

Derek tensed a little at the group of other wolves but they pretty much kept to themselves other than taking up a lot of room. So when Stiles did his best to avoid them and ended up stumbling back into Derek's back, Derek couldn't help the fact that his arm went up automatically so his hand rested on Stiles' hip and held him close until the werewolves had past and they could continue on. Derek's fingers flexed and his blood seared in his veins. He wanted to be allowed to do this whenever he wanted. He swallowed thickly and listened to Stiles' rabbiting heart and lingered just a bit too long. 

“That's okay," Derek said in a low slightly scratchy voice a little too close to Stiles' ear. He stayed where he was for another second before carefully removing his hand and taking a step back, clearing his throat as his ears and neck flushed crimson. Kenna was standing by the car, staring at them with pursed lips and raised eyebrows, arms lightly folded over her ribs. "Shall we, umm," Derek made a vague motion with his hand to the car that he hoped Stiles would understand meant 'continue to the car' because Derek's brain was scrambled from having Stiles so close and he didn't have any words left in him. 

All Stiles could do at Derek’s suggestion was nod. He walked over to where Kenna was waiting by the car, a little bit dazed. Derek’s hand had felt warm and sure where it had landed on his hip, holding him securely and safely until the other werewolves passed them by. This kind of reaction was definitely not typical and Stiles wanted to find out why he was acting like this. Derek touching him shouldn’t be the most wonderful thing that he could remember experiencing, and yet here he was thinking just that. Part of him just wanted to blame hormones and being a teenage boy and Derek being attractive, but he knew there had to be more than that. When the car was unlocked, Stiles slipped into the backseat, Kenna and Derek sitting in the front. 

“So hardware store and then back to the house,” Stiles asked, his voice just a little bit squeaky sounding. He could still hear Derek’s words echoing in his ear, his voice low. Stiles’ eyes threatened to flutter shut but he kept them almost stubbornly open. 

“That’s right,” Kenna confirmed, “Unless Derek needs to buy anything else.” She turned to look at the werewolf in the driver’s seat, expecting him to say that he didn’t need anything just like always. 

Stiles hoped they returned soon. Unless he was required to help do something with the painting in his room, like cover furniture or something, he was completely planning on spending the rest of the night in the library with the books and his new laptop, trying to figure out what was going on. The thought of where he would be sleeping crossed his mind again, but knowing Stiles, he would probably fall asleep on one of the comfy chairs in the library. 

Derek thought about it and then shrugged. "I'm just going to get some more lumber. I need some more bookcases for my room," he answered as he started the car and tried his best to forget the way Stiles' body had felt pressed against his, the way he could feel Stiles' heartbeat against his own chest. His hands tightened a bit on the steering wheel but he forced himself to relax and forget about it. He wasn't allowed and Stiles didn't like him. Even if he was starting to warm up to Derek he probably wanted someone his own age, a nice girl too probably. 

"Are you gonna do those shelves that you wanted to do under your windows with the cushions on top so you could sit there?" Kenna asked curiously as she settled in against the door frame so she could see both Derek and Stiles at once. 

Derek nodded and changed lanes to take the next turn, almost to the hardware store. "Yea, I think I need more stain and lacquer though. I'll get the stuff for the upholstery later when they're finished. I thought I'd build them deep and do bookshelves on the sides and have some storage on top in the back," he answered absently, pulling into the lot of the large store and circling until he found a spot to park. He cut the engine and got out, opening Stiles' door for him with a small smile. 

Stiles wished that he was paying attention so that it wouldn’t be so obvious so he was doing the exact opposite. He spent basically the entire ride to the hardware store sitting in the back of the car, daydreaming. He would never admit that was what he was doing, but he found himself thinking about Derek a lot more than he should have been, especially considering their situation and Stiles’ plan to leave. 

He returned Derek’s smile, equally as tentative but sure as he stepped out of the car, shoving his hands in the pockets of Derek’s pants. He was glad that he had his own things to wear at least. Some of it would be very helpful, and he would have to look around for a duffel bag of some kind to bring some of it with him. 

“Are we going to be able to fit everything we need in the car?” Stiles heard himself asking, “I mean, you guys wasted a lot of space on my clothes.” It was true, his clothing took up a majority of the trunk and he had heard Derek mention something about lumber. He didn’t think all that would fit. 

“Bigger items can be shipped to the house,” Kenna explained as they walked towards the store. She took a quick glance at her watch. “I want to make some headway on your room tonight, Stiles, so we should try and get home soon. We should probably split up and take care of what we need.”

“Are you sure that’s safe?” Stiles blurted out before he could stop himself, immediately remembering his little encounter in the restroom. 

“This is a local hardware store,” Kenna sad with a laugh, “Derek and I have been here loads of times, and they all know who I am. Still, if you would feel better we can all stay together, or you can go with Derek.” 

Derek listened to Kenna and then shook his head. "Stiles can stay with me. I don't want to risk something else happening," he said, shifting closer Stiles as he spoke and looking around. Kenna would be fine he knew, she was a fast runner if needed and resourceful. Plus she had werewolf mace from Deaton and smelled enough like Derek that she could be mistaken for a werewolf. Stiles, even though he smelled like Derek from their brief touches and Derek's clothes, only smelled superficially like werewolves. Once he spent long enough at Derek's house and around the others, it would sink in more and eventually become part of his scent like it had with Kenna's. No one would mistake Stiles for a werewolf and after the clothing store, Derek wanted him close. 

"Okay," Kenna said with a nod and pulled out a sheet of paper from her pocket that she'd written down a list on. She studied it and then tore it carefully, handing the smaller piece to Derek. "You guys get that stuff plus whatever you need for your shelves. I'll get what I need and we'll meet in the main aisle by register ten okay?" Derek looked down at the items on the list and nodded. 

"Okay, sure," he answered and then offered the paper to Stiles to look at - paint, brushes, tarps, tape, trays, rollers - looking at Kenna he gave her a serious look. "If you need anything, you know the signal. I'll keep tabs on your heartbeat."

Kenna just waved a hand and nodded, motioning him away. "Everyone knows me here, Derek. And I smell like you. No one will touch me," she told him and got on her toes to kiss Derek's cheek, ruffling his hair and then looking at Stiles. "Keep Derek out of trouble okay? Don't let him buy anything he doesn't need," she teased because Derek never bought anything for himself that wasn't absolutely necessary despite how much money he had. "Register ten," she repeated and then disappeared through the aisles. 

Derek watched her go, pin pointing her heartbeat and keeping it in the back of his mind before turning to Stiles. "Where do you want to start?" he asked gently, leaving it to Stiles to decide as he took a step away to grab a cart in an awful gaudy orange color. 

Stiles leaned a little closer to Derek so he could scan his eyes over the list. His gaze flicked up to the aisles that marked where certain items were. It took him a moment to decide, but he figured they could start with what was closest and work their way out and then just come back and wait for Kenna where she said. Whether they started with the far away things or the close ones, they would have to walk the same amount, so it honestly didn’t make all that much of a difference to Stiles. 

“The light bulbs are closest,” Stiles said, giving a nod towards the sign two aisles away that listed that particular item. He and Derek made their way into the aisle, scanning the shelves until they found the exact bulbs that Kenna had listed in her graceful handwriting. He trusted that she would be okay, but he wondered what the signal was that Derek had mentioned. He opened his mouth to ask when an employee, whose tag read Jake, appeared out of nowhere. He was probably nineteen at the most and Stiles looked up to find, with surprise, that he was looking directly at him. He was tall, blonde hair styled to look as though he had just rolled out of bed, with blue eyes. Despite the ugly work vest he was wearing, Stiles had to admit that he was actually kind of hot.

“Hi, is there anything I can help you with?” Jake asked, a friendly smile on his face, looking directly at Stiles as he spoke. It took the human a moment to realize that Jake was actually talking to him and not Derek.

“I umm, no I think we’re okay,” Stiles said, completely caught off guard by the fact that he was being addressed directly, glancing back at Derek for a moment who was looking at Jake now as well. He hadn’t thought that werewolves were really like that, besides Derek of course but he was a special case. He didn’t see the way that Jake was staring at him like he was something delicious to snack on.

“Well, feel free to find me if you need anything,” Jake said, “I’m sure I’ll be able to help.” Stiles gave a bewildered nod. He didn’t notice the way that Jake’s eyes slid up and down his body, practically undressing him with his eyes. 

Derek nodded at Stiles' suggestion and they headed to the right aisle, side by side. Derek had just taken a six-pack of the light bulbs Kenna wanted from the shelf when a voice appeared. Derek turned to answer only to see the werewolf looking at Stiles like he was something he wanted to eat. Derek glared but the man didn't pose a direct threat of violence so Derek couldn't exactly throw him across the store like he wanted to. That was probably overreacting considering that the guy was really just doing what Derek was doing but being not at all subtle about it like Derek was trying to hide it. He gauged Stiles' reaction but Stiles just seemed mildly confused and when he looked back at Derek, Derek's eyes were locked on the other kid with a protective but otherwise blank uninviting look on his face.

"We'll be fine. Thank you, Jake. I know my way around quite well," Derek finally said in a tight pointed voice when the guy’s eyes slid over Stiles' body like he was a juicy steak he wanted to get all over. Jake finally looked at Derek with slightly raised brows but Derek looked to Stiles, putting a hand low on his back. "Come on. Lumber is this way," he said, shooting a look at Jake behind Stiles' back and letting his eyes go red for a second. 

Jake just held up his hands palms forward in a semi apology but his eyes still fell to Stiles' ass again until they rounded the corner out of sight. Derek frowned deeply and then wondered if maybe Stiles wanted the attention. The guy was obviously younger than Derek, closer in age to Stiles and attractive enough like most werewolves were. Couldn't they go anywhere where no one would hit on or threaten them? Couldn't that happen? Derek focused in on Kenna's heartbeat but it was calm and relaxed so he didn't worry too much about her as they got further away from Jake. 

“That was weird,” Stiles said bluntly, casting a glance to the end of the aisle that they just exited, but he couldn’t see Jake. The last thing he’d expected was some random werewolf to start speaking to him kindly, especially after his restroom experience. It occurred to Stiles that he was being very generalizing about an entire species. He’d never thought about it before, but werewolves were technically part human and just like humans, Stiles supposed that there could be assholes and nice ones. Of course, the majority of werewolves seemed to be assholes, but that didn’t mean that Stiles should think that they all were. 

Away from Jake, Stiles was suddenly acutely aware of the hand on his lower back, the hand he was currently pushing into slightly as they walked. He hadn’t even noticed it this time, as though it were a commonplace thing to do. He wondered when Derek had actually started touching him and how long he’d been oblivious. Stiles’ father had liked to say that for all his quick wit, intelligence, and awareness about other people’s lives, Stiles was painfully oblivious when it came to anything that involved himself. He had always thought that his dad was exaggerating, but maybe he wasn’t entirely wrong. 

“So do you build a lot of your own furniture?” Stiles asked. Though he’d been pretty deep in his own thoughts in the car, he had managed to pick up that Derek was building some kind of thing for his room. He wondered if it was a hobby or a job. Stiles dismissed the idea that it was a job quickly, considering the fact that Derek was insanely loaded and no matter how good he was, there was no way he could make that much off of just furniture. Kenna had said something about what Derek did the first night that Stiles was there, but he couldn’t remember what it was. 

Derek glanced at Stiles when he said it was weird but didn't reply, unsure what to say and not quite trusting his voice yet. He didn't want to be growly with Stiles when he wasn't upset with him, just annoyed with the way Jake had looked at him and annoyed with himself too for being possessive. Stiles wasn't an object, he was a person. They made their way back to where the bulk lumber was and Derek started examining the woods, trying to decide what kind he wanted; he needed to take color and density and strength into account but thought he might go with a nice white oak wood because that was easily stained to a color of his liking and very sturdy. 

He turned to Stiles when Stiles asked if he built his own furniture and wavered before shrugging a little. "Most of it, but not the more upholstered things like the couches," he answered, licking his lips and offering a little smile. "I like working with my hands. Did you know even a werewolf can get calluses if they try hard enough?" He laughed softly and held out his palm to show off the calluses on his fingers and palms. "I actually… the house is, I mean, I built it. Not on my own but I drew up the designs and decided the materials and then helped the crew. My thing is buildings usually but I like to build furniture in my free time. I'd rather build something exactly how I want it than buy something that I'm settling for." He blushed and shrugged again as he turned back to the wood, running his hand down the smooth finish of the white oak. "I don't know. Maybe it's dumb. I just like knowing that I can create something that'll last, I guess. Does that make sense?" 

Before he could get a response from Stiles, a man probably in his late thirties or early forties approached; he had salt and pepper hair and a bit of a beer gut with glasses perched on his nose and a friendly enough smile. "Howdy, Derek," he greeted as he extended his hand. "Back for some more lumber? What're ya building this time? Who's your friend?" 

Derek smiled back at the curious man and shook his hand warmly, shoving it back in his pocket when he pulled away. "Hey, Dennis. This is Stiles, Stiles this is Dennis. And uh, bookshelves to go under my window. I'm thinking white oak; dense and easy to stain since it's light," he answered and he and Dennis went on a long back and forth conversation over the pros and cons of different kinds of woods for shelves and Derek ended up filling out a shipping order for cedar instead of oak. 

"It'll be delivered to the house in the morning," Dennis told Derek when he handed the clipboard back and smiled over at Stiles. "It was nice meeting you, Steven." 

"Stiles," Derek corrected and Dennis chuckled and waved as he walked away to see to another customer. Derek shook his head at the man and looked over at Stiles. "He was my- well, we were gonna… he was supposed to be-" Derek heaved a huge breath and shook his head. "He was almost my father in law. But he's part of the pack now, my mother gave him the Bite a few years ago." 

Stiles smiled at Derek as he talked about something that he was clearly very passionate about. He tried to think back to the things in the house that were made of wood. A few vague images came into his mind, but he couldn’t really think of anything specific. He would be sure to pay more attention to the furniture in the house. And the house itself. Hearing that Derek himself designed the house was also extremely surprising. The house was gorgeous and Derek definitely had a talent.

“You seriously designed the house?” Stiles asked, eyebrows raised, a smile on his face, “That’s amazing. You have a real talent.” The blush on Derek’s face made him smile wider. He nudged Derek a little with his elbow, sticking close instead of pulling away. A man came into the aisle and started talking to Derek.

Stiles watched Derek and this new man, Dennis, interact. The conversation seemed to flow easily, though he had no idea what either of them were saying. He managed to catch on to the fact that Derek ended up getting something different than he originally was planning on. Dennis seemed like a pretty nice man. He didn’t pay all that much attention to Stiles, which was better than him being rude or violent. He was surprised when he heard that Dennis was once going to be a part of the family. He immediately felt a strong urge to ask Derek what had happened, how it had fallen through, but he felt like that was probably too personal for them at this point.

“How’s Kenna doing?” he asked instead, “Should we finish up?” The day had been trying for all of them and Stiles was ready to go back to the house and get away from all these people. Maybe he would try to catch a nap in the car. If Kenna wanted to get started on the painting in his room, then he would definitely have to help move furniture and cover the room in tarps. He didn’t want to seem like he wasn’t doing his fair share. Thinking of that, Stiles realized that he should probably take a look at the chore chart in the kitchen so he could see what he had to do there as well. He didn’t want Kenna and Derek to think that he wasn’t appreciative of what they had done for him. Even if he was going to leave. 

Derek was grateful that Stiles didn't push on asking what had happened that ended up with Dennis not being part of the family. It wasn't something he was exactly eager to talk about at length. He trusted Stiles but he needed to be a little more sleep deprived or a lot drunker before anyone got him to go into detail about that particular dark period in his life. When Stiles asked about Kenna Derek focused in on her heart beat again and then further out to the rest of the store to pinpoint her location, eyes closed. He shook his head though and looked at Stiles. "She's not done yet. She's humming and picking up packages to look at. We still need to get the supplies to paint your room. She had more on her list than we did anyways," he answered with a shrug and folded up the yellow page receipt that Dennis had given him back. "We can head over there and you can pick out your paint colors." 

He held out a hand to allow Stiles to go first and then fell into step close beside him. He wondered if he could get away with a hand on his back but held back, instead just walking close enough that their arms brushed with every step they took. They passed Jake on the way there and Derek glared as Jake smiled a little too lasciviously at Stiles. He didn't make any move to approach or follow them though so Derek left it as they veered into the paint section. He grabbed three paint trays from the shelf when they passed and dropped them into the basket, pausing to examine brushes and rollers before grabbing a three pack of rollers and two smaller brushes for the trim. Then they came to the large wall with all manner of paint swatches and Derek motioned Stiles ahead. "Pick your poison. You can get whatever you want," he said with a little smile, wanting Stiles to get the colors that would make him happy.

Stiles could see that Derek was grateful for the subject change, even if he didn’t say anything out loud or direct anything at Stiles that said so. It was clear as day on his face. He was hard to read at times, but this was not one of them. They walked comfortably over towards the paint. He didn’t notice Jake on the way there, too preoccupied with the way that his and Derek’s arms were brushing, but he did see Derek look behind them for a fraction of a second as they disappeared into the aisle. He gave Derek a small smile in return as he continued down the aisle, eyeing the yellow swatches. The shade he wanted was actually extremely specific, and most of the shades he saw were too bright and garish. Stiles sighed a bit. Maybe he was being too picky. He closed his eyes for a moment, visualizing it in his head, the way that the fire would glow through the fabric, the way that he could see a shadow pass in front of it every once in a while. He and one of his best friends used to use the light to make shadow puppets, but he’d disappeared one day and Stiles never saw him again. Upon opening his eyes, Stiles did a quick sweep of the entire aisle, his eye catching on one small paint swatch. It was perfect. 

“This is it,” he announced to Derek, a bit too excited for just finding a color of paint. He motioned the werewolf to bring the cart closer, teasing that not everyone had super strength. He lifted a few cans into the cart until he figured they had enough to properly cover the room. Finding the blue for the ceiling was a lot easier, especially when there were four different shades that were labeled ‘Night Sky’. Stiles chose one of those, as well as a deep dark green for the leaves of the trees at night. Kenna had said that she wanted to make it look like a forest. After finding the glow-in-the-dark paint that she had talked about, Stiles took one more look around the aisle. “I’m all done, unless you need something else?” he said, looking back at Derek. 

Derek followed Stiles down the rows of paint with a small smile on his face. He liked how happy Stiles got about it all and helped to lift cans from the shelves when he joked about not having super strength. Derek wanted to joke back that Stiles could have it, if he wanted. Derek could give that to him. But he thought that might be the wrong thing to say so he didn't. He never treated Stiles like he was weak though or any less than Derek just because he was human. Derek liked Stiles just how he was and would do whatever he had to do to make him happy.

He looked around and then nodded at Stiles' question, leading him down a little ways to where there were smaller cans. "I need to get the staining and wood finish for the shelves," he answered with a little smile as he scanned the shelves. He glanced at the little ring with samples of what the finishes would look like, each labeled with the wood and color of finish. Derek chose a dark one that would match the rest of the furniture in his room and put one small can of wood stain and another of the clear protective finish in the cart before nodding. "Now I'm done, we can wait for Kenna at the front." 

He led the way back to the main aisle and found register ten, picking a spot out of the way where they could wait. He parked the cart close to some shelves of gardening hoses and turned to look at Stiles, smiling a little. "So what are you interested in?" he asked, wanting to learn about this boy who sent his heart doing back flips and made Derek want to smile all the damn time if he would get an answering one in return. "Sports? Reading? Gardening? I'm guessing you don't know much about woodwork by the confused expression you were wearing while I was talking to Dennis." He smirked a little and then bumped his toe against Stiles' shoe lightly - or rather his shoe that Stiles was wearing. "I could teach you, if you got bored or something, if you wanted." He shrugged and heard Kenna's heart beat coming closer until she skipped out of an aisle next to them and beamed. 

"Ready?" she asked, examining the things in the boys' cart critically before giving her nod of approval. She added the things from the hand held basket she'd been carrying and went to go add it to the stack nearby. "Come on, this register is open," she called and Derek kept Stiles in his line of sight as they followed, making sure that Jake wouldn't pop out from out of nowhere to try anything. Kenna took care of organizing the items on the belt at the register and stole Derek's wallet from his back pocket without even asking, just sticking her hand in despite Derek's noise of surprise and protest. She just smiled at him and then swiped the card in the reader, making Derek sigh in resignation. Kenna was always going to do what she wanted no matter what anyone told her. She was too much of a free spirit. 

Stiles followed Derek to go pick out the wood stain. He liked the color that Derek chose and wondered if the rest of his room looked like that, or if it was a more eclectic collection of furniture. Judging based on what little Stiles knew about Derek, he was willing to bet that the furniture matched. He just seemed like that kind of person. Kenna was almost the polar opposite in that respect. It was interesting to watch how they got along, especially since Kenna acted so much like an older sister to Derek even though she was younger. 

He smiled when Derek tapped his foot, using his hips to bump him lightly in return. He considered Derek’s question seriously, though he wasn’t all that positive of what he was really interested in. He had already told them about how he liked to research whatever happened to tickle his fancy at the particular opportunity he had, but he wanted to give Derek more than that. 

“I like to run,” Stiles finally said, “And not for necessity.” Being in a human encampment and dodging werewolves involved a lot of running on its own, but that wasn’t what Stiles liked. He didn’t like running away, he just liked running. “It’s just… it’s freeing. I feel like I can go anywhere,” he added, part of him still feeling like he had to make up for the night that Derek had told him about his scars, “Though I’m never opposed to learning something new. Maybe doing something with my hands would be nice for a change.” Stiles was actually pretty interested in seeing Derek work more than anything else. He had never seen someone make furniture before and it seemed like a really interesting process that he wouldn’t mind learning more about. Kenna appeared beside them then, putting her things into the cart and giving their items a onceover. They apparently passed whatever test and they got on line. 

Stiles’ laugh rang clear and genuine at the look on Derek’s face when Kenna stole his wallet. It was easy to see that they grew up together. It was the first time he could remember really, truly laughing since he had been taken from the camp. It felt nice. He had missed it, feeling happy and comfortable enough to laugh. They each grabbed a bag until everyone’s hands were full and all the bags had been picked up. They walked towards the exit, and Stiles was surprised to see Jake standing there. 

“I hope you enjoyed shopping with us today,” he said, sounding like he was talking to the group as a whole, but just looking at Stiles again. Stiles gave him a small nod and a polite smile as he passed, then everything seemed to happen in slow motion. Just as he was passing through the door, he felt a very noticeable hand slip into his back pocket, squeezing a bit on the way out, the words “Call me” whispered in his ear. Stiles’ eyes nearly popped out of his head as he jerked forward with a small yelp, away from the hand. By the time he turned around, Jake was gone. 

Derek looked at Stiles when he laughed and his expression softened up, letting out a chuckle of his own. He liked that laugh a lot and wanted to hear more of it. He let Kenna pay and then slip his wallet back into his pocket before she loaded him down with bags from their purchase, mostly she gave him the bags with the paint cans because he was strong enough to carry them without a sweat. But he lost himself to his thoughts, speculating ways that he could get Stiles to laugh more. He wanted to hear that laugh all the time but didn't think Stiles was the kind to laugh at humor that was trying too hard. Derek hadn't been trying to get him to laugh that first time, Stiles had just laughed at the expression on his face when Kenna took his wallet. So maybe it was an accidental thing, which kind of sucked. Derek had never been accused of being funny much less accidentally funny. Derek was sarcastic and had a dry wit that made people snort or smile or roll their eyes but very rarely did they laugh. He was going to have to step up his game.

He was brought out of it though by Jake's voice and then Stiles' yelp when Jake got too close and told him to call. Derek snarled after the guy but he was already disappearing back into the store with his hands in his pockets and a smirk on his face like he'd just gotten everything he ever wanted in life. Derek wanted to run him down and warn him away from Stiles but he was holding bags of their purchases and didn't want to upset Stiles. He looked over to the younger man and wondered if Stiles would, if he wanted to call Jake. Derek didn't trust him, Jake not Stiles. He trusted Stiles despite whether or not he should. He just did. Which was scary because Derek was not good at the whole trust thing. 

Derek grit his teeth together almost audibly and his expression went blank, emotionless. He wasn't going to tell Stiles that he couldn't call because he didn't want to control him like that. It was Stiles' decision. But like hell would Derek let him go anywhere with that guy until Derek did some looking into it. He wasn't going to risk some asshole werewolf taking advantage of Stiles. He wouldn't let it happen. Kenna looked at Derek with concern in her face but he didn't look back at her as he headed for the car, unlocking it quietly and loading the bags into the space left in the trunk. He took the bags from Kenna and Stiles as well to put away and then got into the driver's seat. 

He knew he was being ridiculous. He didn't have any right to Stiles. Stiles wasn't his that way except on paper, which Derek largely disregarded because Stiles wasn't an object to own and possess. He was a human being with feelings and thoughts and a choice. He should have the choice in his own life to do what he pleased and Derek wouldn't take that away from him. He shouldn't be feeling jealous but he did, inexplicably. He hated the idea of it, Stiles being with anyone else. He started the car and let Kenna choose the radio station but otherwise stayed silent, not trusting himself not to ask if Stiles was going to call that guy, to ask if he liked him, thought he was attractive. He didn't want to pressure Stiles. He could do whatever he wanted, to an extent. Derek would do whatever he had to do to keep him safe and that included not letting Stiles go anywhere alone with that guy until he could decide if he was good enough. Stiles only deserved the best and Derek knew that that wasn't him. But it certainly wasn't Jake either. 

Stiles was more or less in shock as he walked to the car. He had never been hit on before, not as far as he knew anyway. Maybe he really was dense just like his father said. He had spoken to Jake for all of two seconds, and the other boy didn’t even know Stiles’ name, but that didn’t seem to matter. It was strange. Stiles handed his bags off to Derek who was loading everything into the trunk. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that the werewolf seemed agitated, but Stiles couldn’t think of a reason for why he would be so he didn’t comment on it. He was probably just imagining things or something. 

He climbed into the backseat of the car, still able to feel the ghost of Jake’s touch. It made him frown a bit as he squirmed uncomfortably. He reached back and pulled the guy’s number out of his pocket. He wondered if Jake had followed them through the store to wait until they were leaving to make his move. It struck Stiles as vaguely creepy. 

“Hey Kenna, will you roll your window down for a second?” Stiles asked once they were away from the hardware store and speeding back towards the house. Kenna nodded and hit the button for her window to descend. Stiles rolled the slip of paper into a small ball and flicked it out the open window. Kenna rolled up her window again and turned to look at Stiles.

“Was that really necessary?” she asked, a smile playing on her lips.

“Yes it was,” he said, matching her tone with a smile on his own lips, “I’m not really into guys that squeeze my ass without permission, even if they are hot.”

“Good philosophy to have,” Kenna said with a mock serious face.

“I always thought so,” Stiles answered back, “Though I’ll admit to this being the first incident where I’ve had to follow it.”

“I find that hard to believe,” Kenna snorted, her eyes flicking over to Derek for a fraction of a second, too fast for Stiles to notice. 

“Yeah, well believe it,” Stiles chuckled, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to take a power nap.” He settled down in the backseat, leaning against the window, arms crossed over his chest, eyes closed. He wondered what Kenna found so hard to believe. Stiles didn’t think it was all that difficult. He was just above average height, had brown hair and eyes, was lanky, and had pale skin. Nothing that Stiles thought was overly desirable, and all the people he had grown up with seemed to think the exact same thing since he had never gotten any action or anything. Despite how his mind was racing like it always did, Stiles managed to drift off a few minutes later, dozing in the backseat. 

“You okay?” Kenna asked, turning towards Derek as soon as she was sure that Stiles had fallen asleep for the time being, “Your face says murder and your grip on the steering wheel says death.”

Derek relaxed minimally when Stiles let the number flick out the window and far away from them. He thought about saying something about littering but couldn't make himself. He just stared out the windshield as Stiles laid down in the back seat. He was asleep by the time Kenna checked to see if Derek was okay and Derek let out a large breath, loosening and then tightening his grip on the wheel again, shaking his head. "I don't know," he said lowly, keeping tabs on Stiles' heartbeat to make sure he stayed asleep. 

"I wanted to kill that guy," he admitted with a measure of shame in his tone as he glared angrily out the windshield. "I wanted to chase him down and rip his head from his shoulders just for...just for looking at Stiles like that. What does that say about me? I don't have the right to be possessive over him. He can like whomever he wants. He's not- I mean he's mine technically but only on paper and never like that, not if he didn't want it." 

"But you want it, him like that," Kenna hazarded just as quietly, looking back at Stiles dozing peacefully in the backseat. "I didn't think you'd ever look at someone that way since, you know, her. But you look at him that way. Maybe it was fate that you found Stiles at that auction house. You could win him over, make him fall for you like you're falling for him."

"You know what happened the last time I got involved with a human, Kenna," Derek said through gritted teeth as he shook his head. "Besides, he's sixteen. I shouldn't want him. He could do so much better. Find a nice human who we could bring into the pack, they could live happily ever after with their little human babies. I'm- I'm damaged goods, Kenna. I killed my uncle, I'm a widower, I'm an alpha who never wanted to be one, I don't trust easily." 

Kenna wanted to point out that Derek wasn't technically a widower since she died before they got married but she didn't think this was really the time to bring it up. It seemed like Derek was finally moving on even though he was holding himself back quite a bit from chasing his own happiness. "You're also strong, brave, loyal, considerate, kind, generous, gentle, warm, loving, protective, shall I go on? You're a great catch, Derek. So you're a little prickly on the outside, once you get past that you're the most amazing guy. You just have to realize that it's okay for you to move on and want someone else to share you're life with. You're allowed to be happy again, Derek. You don't have to shut yourself away and live in misery for the rest of your life." 

Derek sighed and glanced at Stiles in the rearview before shaking his head, focusing on the road ahead. "Can we please just… just drop it for now okay?" he asked in a low, defeated voice. Kenna sighed but stayed quiet, straightening in her seat and turning the radio up just a little bit. When they finally got to the house, Derek took off his seat belt and then turned in his seat, hesitantly laying a hand on Stiles' knee and shaking. "Hey, we're home, Stiles," he said quietly, his walls still up but offering a small smile anyways even if it didn't quite reach his eyes. 

Stiles groaned and squeezed his eyes shut tighter when he felt someone trying to shake him awake. He had never been any good at taking power naps and he didn’t know why he thought that would suddenly change. Eventually, he cracked his eyes open to see Derek, a hand on his knee, a fake smile on his lips. Stiles furrowed his brows, his head tilting to the side ever so slightly. He was struck with the strangest urge to make Derek smile for real, to make him happy. Shaking his head a bit, Stiles returned Derek’s smile and slid out of the car. He stretched his arms over his head as he yawned, his shirt lifting just enough to show the sliver of skin above his waistband. He felt a satisfying crack in his back and he pulled his shirt down again. 

“I feel like the ride there was definitely longer,” he joked a bit, though he was slightly serious. He thought he would get a longer nap. He had a feeling he wouldn’t be getting a lot of sleep tonight. Stiles never slept very well the night after he had just had a nightmare. Now though, instead of keeping watch, he had an entire library and laptop at his disposal to fill his sleepless nights. He was definitely going to use that while it lasted. 

“Quit gabbing, old ladies, and bring in the bags,” Kenna called from the door to the garage, a few bags in her own hands. Stiles smiled sheepishly before going to the trunk to grab a few things. He selfishly left the heaviest stuff for Derek to grab, giving him a grin before heading inside. It was weird, but Stiles felt like there was definitely something off with the werewolf. Instead of asking about it, he followed the sounds of crinkling bags to the kitchen where Kenna was. Stiles had a few of the hardware store bags. 

“Should I leave these here for now?” Stiles asked, gesturing to the bags, not knowing where they kept supplies like light bulbs. 

“Yeah, here is fine,” Kenna said with a nod, “Go start putting your clothes away, but keep at least a week’s worth of outfits out so you don’t have to go in while there’s painting going on. And be sure to keep the red suit out for dinner tomorrow.” Stiles barely managed to keep down his groan. 

“Where am I going to sleep while the room is being painted?” Stiles asked, putting down the bags and picking the ones with clothes in them back up. 

“Ask Derek,” Kenna said distractedly. Stiles gave her a nod that she didn’t see before he headed up to his room to put the bags down before heading back down to get the rest of them. He bumped directly into Derek’s chest on the way back, flailing slightly as he tried to keep his balance and not fall on his ass, which he just barely managed to do. 

“Hey,” Stiles said with an embarrassed smile, “Oh, umm Kenna said to ask you where I was sleeping while the room was being painted?” He said it like a question, almost like he was unsure if he was actually supposed to ask Derek, but he was just slightly more afraid of Kenna so he was going to ask anyway. 

Derek cracked a small smile when Stiles said that he swore that the ride there was longer than the ride home. He shrugged because it was only perception; Stiles didn't know where their endpoint would be when they were leaving the house so his brain perceived the time as longer but he knew they were going to end at Derek's house, their house, and on top of that he was sleeping the way back. 

He helped carry bags in and then went back. He was carrying the last of the bags inside when Stiles ran straight into his chest, flailing and almost tipping them both over. Derek dropped the bags of clothes in one hand to wrap around Stiles' waist, pulling him close to steady him, keep him from falling. Derek's breath hitched in his throat at the proximity as he looked across a mere few inches. He could count every one of Stiles' lashes and the pale golden freckles on his nose that were only visible up close like that, the flecks of gold in his amber eyes and the precise shade of pink of his mouth. God did Derek want. 

"Hi," Derek replied unintelligibly, forcing himself to let go very, very slowly, lingering longer than he needed to. He swallowed thickly and then frowned uncertainly. "I...don't have any other bedrooms furnished right now. There's...a futon. In my room if you'd like it. Usually the others will crash there when they stay over. It folds into a full size bed. Or there's a couch in the library but it might not be very comfortable."

Stiles could still feel the ghost of Derek's strong arm wrapped around his waist. He could still see the beautiful, pale green of Derek's eyes surrounded by dark lashes, the soft lines of his lips. Stiles' chest felt cold now that he stood away from Derek's warmth and he forced himself to ignore the heated blush his face was sporting. He hadn't realized that being so close to the werewolf would make him react quite like that. Something told him to get closer again but Stiles stayed resolutely in place, not wanting to embarrass himself.

"The futon sounds fine," Stiles said, his voice a bit hoarse, "As long as it's okay with you." He didn't want to impose on Derek's space. He and Kenna each had their own protected spaces and he didn't want to encroach on Derek's if he wasn't really wanted. Especially not if he was going to be a nuisance by staying up, or worse yet by screaming himself awake from another nightmare. Stiles still felt horrible for waking up Derek and Kenna the night before. He realized that they were both just standing there and staring at each other, so Stiles bent down and picked up the bags of clothes that Derek had dropped. One of them had the shoes as well. 

"We have some nice salmon in the fridge, Derek," Kenna called, "We should probably use it tonight before it goes bad." Salmon struck Stiles as a bit of a fancy food for an at home dinner, but he didn't have that much experience with those anyway. The last thing he was going to do was complain about what he was being fed. Stiles was grateful for any kind of food that he got. 

Derek swallowed thickly, watching Stiles watch him. Stiles had a blush on his face and he wondered if maybe there was a chance Stiles could want him back. He's a hormonal teenage boy, he wants your body not you, his brain supplied ruthlessly and Derek forced himself not to frown. He shuffled closer just barely, almost imperceptibly, but he could hear Stiles' heart stutter just the slightest bit so even if Stiles himself didn't notice, his body sure did and reacted to Derek's proximity. 

He licked his lips and nodded, clearing his throat though he liked the way Stiles' sounded - hoarse and thick like his mouth dried up or something. "I wouldn't have offered it if it wasn't alright with me," Derek assured him and was proud of how even and smooth his words came out with just the very barest of hitches towards the middle. The thought of Stiles in his room, letting his scent fill the air and get caught in the carpet and bedding and drapes and couch... it was pretty damn appealing really. Though it would be hard to get rid of it later when they were done with the room. It would probably take a couple days to do the painting and then at least an extra twenty-four hours after they were done to air out the paint fumes. Derek didn't want anything happening to Stiles' brain function. 

He didn't realize they were just standing there staring at each other, each migrating a few millimeters closer without noticing, until Stiles dipped down to pick up the bags Derek had dropped to catch him. Derek ducked down as well to sweep a few up when Kenna called out to him and he straightened, thinking through his mental list of things that he could make with salmon. "It's your night to cook," Kenna added loudly and Derek rolled his eyes because yeah, he knew. He figured that's why she was telling him they had salmon in the first place. 

"I could make that smoked salmon chowder you like," he called back and heard Kenna's little sound of approval. He looked to Stiles and offered a small smile. "Is that alright with you? There's a cold front coming down in the next couple of hours so it should be a good meal for that. And cheddar dill scones? Does that sound okay?" 

“Any kind of food sounds good to me,” Stiles said with a small laugh, “I’m not really one to turn my nose up at anything.” He left out the part where he didn’t have much to turn his nose up at in the first place. He and his father ate what they could find, always making sure that they each got enough. There were times when it got hard, especially in the winter, but Stiles was adaptable. He was apparently proving that now. He was already almost used to living in a house and having a room, something that he couldn’t remember ever having. “I’m gonna go put my stuff away,” Stiles said after a beat of silence that they had spent just staring at each other. It was getting weird again and Stiles definitely needed to spend some time in the library. He gave Derek a pat on the shoulder with his empty hand, feeling a strange compulsion to touch him before leaving with a small smile. 

He walked up the stairs in somewhat of a daze, systematically folding and putting away clothes, hanging the suits in the closet, but keeping the red one out like instructed. He chose a few shirts at random and a couple pairs of jeans as well to wear for the few days that his room was under construction. He suddenly realized he had no idea where to put them since he didn’t actually know where Derek’s room was, so Stiles just put them into one of the many plastic bags that were now empty and brought it with him to the library, along with his laptop and his phone as well. 

Stiles was all too familiar with libraries. He had the Dewey decimal system memorized. He put the electronics and the bag down on one of the desks and immediately went to scan the shelves. He wasn’t even sure what he was looking for, but science and biology seemed like a good place to start since a lot of this seemed to have something to do with brain chemistry. He had an impressive pile of books when he returned, only stopping to put them down to go and get more, this time books on werewolves and their history, culture, habits, anything that might help. He sat down on the floor behind one of the couches with his mountains of books, about ten open at once as he scanned the pages, looking for buzzwords that would tell him it had what he was looking for. 

With Stiles' blessing on dinner, Derek finished putting away all the bags and purchases before starting. He set a large pot on the stove and added a generous amount of olive oil to heat up while he chopped some tender white and green leeks and quickly minced some garlic to toss in with them. While that was simmering he chopped up potatoes into large pieces and threw those in along with some celery and salt before stirring it all up to really absorb the flavor of the olive oil and garlic. Then he pulled out a container of homemade vegetable broth that was left over from when he made chicken and dumplings the previous week, turned up the heat and left it to simmer for twenty minutes while he got the dough for the scones ready. 

He measured Bisquick into a bowl and added cold butter, using his hands to mix it until small chunks of butter the size of chickpeas were left. After that he added shredded cheddar cheese and a bit of milk with some fresh minced garlic before mixing it all up with his hands to get a more even distribution. He put the bowl of dough aside while he melted butter then stirred in a little bit of salt, garlic powder, and dried parsley flakes. After measuring out the dough into dollops on a cookie sheet he brushed the butter mix on top before sliding them into the oven just in time to work on the chowder. 

When Derek pressed the edge of a spoon into the potatoes they were soft and easily separated and the whole kitchen was warm and smelled of soup and garlic. He turned down the heat to keep everything at a nice steady simmer before scraping in tomato paste and carefully stirring in milk so it wouldn't splash. The whole dish turned a smooth golden butter yellow and then he flaked in chunks of smoked salmon into the pot before pouring in some heavy cream and tearing fresh dill over the top. He stirred it all in and let it simmer for a while longer so the cream and salmon would really deep into the potatoes and leeks and celery. It was thick and creamy and smelled delicious. 

Derek checked the timer on the cheddar biscuits before pulling down bowls and glasses from the cupboard, spoons from a drawer to his left. He left the bowls by the stove but set out the silverware and napkins at the small kitchen table - there was a bigger more formal dining room table in it's own room but was barely used except once a year for the company Christmas party that Derek hated hosting but was always roped into.

He pulled the biscuits out when they were ready and set them aside to cool while he went to collect Stiles and Kenna. Kenna was in Stiles' room shoving the furniture all into the middle of the space and tarps around the edges and she came easily, heading downstairs to get everyone water to drink. Derek followed Stiles' heartbeat to the library and smiled soft and fond when he found him. 

"Stiles?" he said gently, not wanting to startle him as he came into the room. "Dinner’s ready. You can come back up here after we eat, if you'd like. Kenna got the tarps down in your room though if we want to start painting this evening."

The longer Stiles sat in the library, the more frustrated he became. He had yet to find almost anything that was relevant despite the huge amount of sources that he was looking through. There were a few lines of inquiry that he had to investigate further, things that some books only mentioned or touched on rather than explaining in detail like Stiles needed. He supposed that something was better than nothing, but Stiles was a teenager and he wanted immediate results. He had to remind himself to be patient and that he had all the time in the world to figure this out, and all the resources, but it was still difficult. Patience had never really been a virtue for Stiles. 

Books and pages were beginning to blend together the longer he sat there staring at them. Stiles’ head was beginning to pound, but he didn’t stop. He needed to find out what was happening to him, the strange feelings he was having around Derek. He knew that if he told anyone else, even his dad, they would chalk it up to teenage hormones and tell him to leave it alone and forget, but Stiles felt like it was more than that. Of course Derek was attractive. Someone would have to be literally blind not to see that, but that wasn’t the driving factor behind the feelings. Stiles wasn’t sure how he knew, he just knew and that was good enough for him. 

Stiles was seconds away from tossing the book he was reading across the room in frustration when he heard Derek’s voice. It was an almost immediate reaction. Stiles could feel his heartbeat slow down, his body relax, and he just felt better. That was definitely not just teenage hormones. There was something deeper working here and Stiles was going to find out what it was. 

“She got the tarps down already?” he asked as he stood up and stretched out. He had been cross-legged, hunched over the books as he read. “We should paint after dinner,” he said moments later, “Can’t let her do all the work on a room that isn’t hers.” He felt bad that she had moved all the furniture and stuff by herself. Stiles had figured that maybe she would call him when she was ready, but apparently Kenna was a do-it-yourself kind of girl. Stiles let his arms fall back to his sides when he heard that satisfying crack in his back. His stomach chose that moment to growl loudly and Stiles gave Derek a sheepish smile. “Stomach says we should eat first though,” he joked, brushing his arm against Derek’s as he walked passed him to leave the library. The small touch made him feel even better and Stiles almost stopped to bang his head against the wall. Not knowing things was not his strong point. In fact, it irritated Stiles to no end. He was going to get to the bottom of this.

Derek smiled at Stiles, already moving on from what had happened earlier especially since Stiles had ditched the guy's number out the window. He noted how Stiles looked a bit frustrated, like he was looking for something specific but couldn't find it in the mass of books spread around him. Derek thought that this would probably be a regular occurrence there, Stiles spread out in the library with tons of books and a wrinkle on his brow. Derek thought he might have a book to help Stiles with whatever he was looking for but it was up in his room so he'd give it to him later. 

"Yea, well Kenna would take over the entire project and not let you do a thing if she could. She's very, ah...well, she likes to be in charge of things, we'll put it that way," he said with a small laugh, leaning against the bookshelf in front of Stiles. "We can help her paint after we eat though," he added with a nod, goose bumps rising on his skin where Stiles brushed by him. He didn't really think anything of it, just his own emotions causing physical reactions from Stiles' touch. 

He walked in a comfortable sort of quiet beside Stiles as they headed for the kitchen and Derek inhaled the delicious scent of chowder and cheese biscuits. Kenna was just putting drinks on the table and she smiled at them both. 

"Stiles, I got the tarps down in your room. I didn't want to disturb you since you looked pretty focused on your books," she told him as she took her seat, brushing her hair back behind her shoulders. "We can start painting afterwards though and then I'll work on the ceiling tomorrow." 

An easy smile graced his face as Kenna spoke, and it struck him just how easily he was integrating himself into the house and he supposed the pack as well. It scared him, almost irrationally so. He didn’t want to have anything that made him feel like he had to stay here, though the thought of leaving became harder and harder to think about the more time he spent with both Kenna and Derek. They were kind people, easy to get along with, and nice to be around. Even the idea of making them sad made Stiles sad as well. 

“Christ, that smells delicious,” Stiles groaned as he sat down, inhaling the smell of food. Sure, curly fries were good, but this was on another level. He could barely believe that Derek had made all of this by hand and hadn’t secretly ordered it from somewhere. He’d never met a person that could make this kind of food. He couldn’t wait to eat it. 

“Derek’s cooking nights are always great,” Kenna said as she placed a napkin on her lap. 

“Seems like it,” Stiles agreed, copying Kenna’s motion and placing his napkin on his lap. He wasn’t known to be the cleanest eater in the world. He picked up his spoon and dipped it into the full bowl sitting in front of him. He blew on it slightly since it was still steaming before placing it in his mouth. Flavor spread across his tongue and he let out an involuntary groan, his eyes fluttering shut. “God, this is the greatest thing I’ve ever tasted,” Stiles moaned, quickly filling his spoon again so he could get more of it into his mouth. 

“Try a biscuit,” Kenna laughed, passing one to him. Stiles didn’t hesitate to take it and take a huge bite. 

“Holy shit,” he groaned, his mouth still full, “Derek, why aren’t you a chef?”

Derek smiled when Stiles said it smelled good and he sat down next to him, picking up his spoon and taking a biscuit. He tore a piece of the bread off to dip into the chowder before taking a bite, looking over at Stiles when he moaned out obscenely. Derek flushed with pleasure at the compliment and his cheeks went red as well as his neck and ears, smiling into his soup. The primal, wolf side of him was pawing at him to reach out, to say see I can provide for you, I can give you a good life, you'll never want for anything if you choose me, but he pushed it back and took a sip of his water. 

"Thanks," he said almost shyly as he peered up to look at Stiles through his lashes and then shrugged when asked why he wasn't a chef. "Cooking is something that calms me down and lets me unwind. It wouldn't let me do that if it was my job you know? And there's a satisfaction that I get being able to give people homes or libraries or museums or whatever it is that I've never been able to replicate doing anything else. Cooking just became a hobby. My father taught me." 

"I hope he makes his famous pork chops tomorrow night," Kenna said with a dreamy sigh as she dipped her biscuit into her chowder before popping it into her mouth. 

Derek smiled and nodded, looking to Stiles. "My dad does make really good pork chops. I've never been able to make them quite the same way even if I follow the recipe perfectly. I think he has a secret ingredient that he just doesn't want to tell me," he shared with a good-natured roll of his eyes. "I took his beef bourguignon recipe and made it better though so it makes up for it." 

"Oh, and borscht," Kenna added around a mouthful of biscuit as she looked at Stiles but pointed at Derek with her spoon. "Derek makes excellent beef borscht and coq au vin and-" 

"Okay, Kenna, he gets it," Derek cut her off with another deep blush and shake of his head, sinking into his seat a little in embarrassment. "Do you cook, Stiles?" 

Stiles became a little nervous again at the mention of dinner with the pack. He would have Kenna, yes, and he had already met Erica, Boyd, and Isaac, but he didn’t know how large Derek’s pack actually was and he was too afraid to ask since he wasn’t sure if he wanted to know the answer. He had never experienced an entire pack before. A few members yes, but never an entire pack at once. Still, it wasn’t exactly like he had a choice in the manner. If he expressed his discomfort, he knew that Derek would probably give him the option of going home, but he knew that Kenna was going to get him out and in the suit as if her life depended on it. 

“Umm, well I can rotisserie a rabbit like no one else,” Stiles said with a grin, “And I can bone a fish in under thirty seconds.” He didn’t have all that much experience with real cooking since any time he could have had the opportunity to do that, he had been too young. Still, he had always liked the idea. Maybe he could experiment now. 

“You should try out cooking here,” Kenna said with a smile, as though she had been reading his mind, “We have plenty of things for you to use.” 

“I’ll do some research and look up some stuff to try on you,” Stiles said, wiggling his eyebrows playfully.

“Don’t poison us,” Kenna joked, making Stiles gave a genuine laugh. 

“I would never,” Stiles said, mockingly scandalized, “Poison is such a cowardly murder.” It was clear in his tone that he was joking. Though he entirely planned on getting back to his father as soon as he was able, he could scarcely imagine doing Kenna or even Derek any kind of harm. His heart hurt at the thought of even making either of them sad, especially Derek. It was strange. There was a time in his life when things were black and white. Werewolves were bad and people were good. He would have hurt or killed a werewolf without a second thought. Now, after meeting Derek and spending some time with him, he could feel his black and white world blurring into gray and he wasn’t quite sure how to feel about that. 

Derek helped Kenna pack up all the paint when they were finished, soak the rollers in paint thinner to clean them off even though the thinner made Derek's nose itch. He looked over to where Stiles was smoothing out the tarps for Kenna to use the next day when she was working on the ceiling. Thankfully they'd gotten all of the walls done but it was getting late and Kenna was yawning and Derek was tired as well after the long day and night they'd all had. 

"Well, I'm heading to bed," Kenna said as they closed the last of the cans and she turned to Derek, hugging him tightly around the middle with her head on his chest. "Night, Der. Love you." 

Derek brushed a kiss to her hair and squeezed back, smiling a bit. "Yea, yea, love you too, kid. Get some rest alright?" he told her in a tone of voice like big brothers always used with younger sisters, protective and loving and only slightly annoyed. 

Kenna hopped over to Stiles too and tugged him in, arms tight around his waist and face smushed into his t-shirt with her head tucked up underneath his chin. "Goodnight, Stiles. Sleep well, okay?" she told him and pulled away to press a kiss to his cheek. "I'll see you in the morning. Love ya." 

She pulled away with a smile and waved at them both before sashaying out of the room gracefully, leaving the two boys alone. Derek looked to Stiles almost shyly but offered a smile. "Do you want to grab your things from the library? I can show you to my room. I think I might have a book that'll help you with whatever you're looking for, since you seem to be looking for something on werewolves," he said, motioning towards the hallway.

Stiles placed the last tarp that had been in his hands when Kenna said good night onto the pile with the others. He was a little nervous still about spending the next few nights in Derek’s room, especially since he was probably going to have nightmares again. A little voice in the back of his head reminded him how soundly he had slept when Derek had been curled around him, but he squashed it down. 

“Honestly, I’m not entirely sure what I’m looking for yet,” Stiles said, stepping into the hallway ahead of Derek and heading back towards the library for his stuff, “But I’d be happy to get any resources that I can.” It was generous of Derek to offer Stiles a book that was something personal of his, since it wasn’t in the library. It was obvious that Derek really wanted him to feel comfortable here and he really was making an honest effort. Stiles didn’t want to say that it was working, but he couldn’t deny that he had been a different person three days ago. His perception of the world had changed, adapting to the new information he had received and he still wasn’t sure how he felt about it. 

Stiles retrieved his bag with his clothes for the week and went back out into the hallway where Derek had waited for him. He followed the older man to a door down the hall, surprised when he opened it to reveal a staircase. His jaw dropped open when they reached the top and he discovered that a majority of the third floor was actually Derek’s room. 

“I guess the designer gets the best room,” Stiles joked, swiveling his head in order to look all around. He spotted the futon pretty quickly and figured it was a safe enough distance from the bed, but he knew that no distance would be far enough for Derek to not hear him if he screamed himself awake again. 

Derek blushed lightly at the comment about his bedroom. "It's- well, I guess so. I like to have some space to myself sometimes. Usually no one is up here but me," he said with a little shrug as he stepped further into the room. 

It had plush cream-colored carpeting and a peaked ceiling - obviously a glorified attic bedroom - with mahogany support beams. The south wall facing the back of the house was floor to ceiling windows and from that height you could see the large expanse of land that Derek's property led to. A river flowed through the trees not too far back almost parallel to the house, wide enough that a sliver of the far side was visible during the day but not so much at night. A huge king size mahogany sleigh bed sat against the back wall a bit to the left with the futon more over to the right and the bottom half of the rest of the walls were bookshelves, photographs in frames sitting on top and large paintings on the wall above, all by the same artist but ranging in size and color. Some were bright and bursting with hues of life while others were darker and a couple done in sepia tones. All of them were stunning though. There were two doors to the left of the bed, one leading into the closet and the other into a bathroom. There was even a fireplace on the wall across from the bed with two large plush armchairs though one was very obviously worn with use while the other still looked brand new. The entire room was done in shades of cream and navy and slate grey-blue with the mahogany wood accents.

"Make yourself at home. I'll find that book for you," Derek offered with a little smile before motioning to one of the doors. "That's the bathroom if you need it, just help yourself to whatever's in there that you need." 

He moved to the side of his bed and crouched down, opening the front panel on his bedside table wherein was tucked a safe. He twisted the dial to put in the combination and opened the thick metal door, reaching in and pulling out a large parcel covered in a rich black fabric. He closed the safe and the panel and then carried it over to the low coffee table by the futon - he'd never quite figured out where to put it where it wasn't awkward so he just stuck it by the futon. He sat down next to it and waited for Stiles before giving him a serious look.

"This book doesn't leave this room, understand? It's a family heirloom, centuries old," he told him before carefully unwrapping it from its cloth bindings. From inside the fabric he pulled out a large ancient looking tome bound in rich dark leather with several ribbon bookmarks peeking out the bottom. Engraved on the front in silver ink was the same triskele Derek had tattooed on his back with HALE written beneath it in intricate calligraphy. There was a lock keeping it from opening and Derek pulled a necklace from around his neck that had a key on it, a triskele at the top and when he twisted it the lock came undone with a soft click. "There's a reason that my family's name means something in this society," he said gently, looking up at Stiles. "Mine is one of the two original werewolf packs and the only one to have survived past the seventeenth century. Today we are still the largest and most powerful Pack in North America. We have several alphas spread all over but my mother is head of them all. This book is our oldest history, tracing all the way back to twelfth century Europe."

Derek opened the book to the first page, thin and fragile and yellowing with delicate scrawl covering the entire space in strange words that weren't English but Derek's eyes skimmed it quickly anyways. "The story goes that a very powerful Druid woman by the name of Ioetta fell in love with my ancestor Elias Hale. They were supposed to be married but she found that he had been unfaithful to her with her handmaiden, Godeleva. She was heartbroken but her devastation soon turned to rage when she learned that Godeleva was pregnant by Elias. She drew upon the powers of the full moon and cursed them both and all of their blood descendants to turn into beasts, losing control whenever the full moon rose but shifting back to human once it had set so that they had to turn back to look at the devastation they had caused, just as she had to look at the devastation of her love for Elias. When she had seen the power she was capable of though, Ioetta tried again with the next man she found had been unfaithful to his wife. Her rage with him wasn't as powerful though and the curse was weaker, finally dying out five centuries later. Ioetta finally married a human man and it was from them that the emissaries came to be though the beneficial relationship between the two didn't come into existence until the mid eighteenth century," he said, explaining the origin story as he read along with the pages. He cleared his throat and looked up at Stiles with a shrug, gently sliding the book closer.

"Anyways. I doubt that's what you were looking for but you're welcome to the book as long as it stays in the room. If you need it opened then just let me know," he said as he tucked the necklace and chain back underneath his shirt. "It goes without saying that you'll be careful with this, right?" 

When Derek pointed out the bathroom before going to get the book, Stiles decided he would get ready for bed. He dropped his bag of clothes by the futon on his way over to the bathroom, stopping only to take out the pair of sweatpants and a sleeping shirt that he didn’t remember trying on but Kenna managed to get to the register anyway. She was a little bit scary with how effective she was at getting things to go exactly the right way. He went into the bathroom and closed the door, not thinking to lock it behind him. He changed his clothes and washed his face after using the toilet. He folded up the clothes he had borrowed from Derek so he could return them. 

He left the bathroom and spotted Derek sitting on the futon, the oldest book he had ever seen sitting in front of him. Stiles sat down slowly next to him, listening to Derek as he spoke about their history, how they had come into existence. It was like nothing Stiles had ever heard and he was entranced, inching closer and closer the more Derek spoke without even noticing. He felt privileged that he was being shown this, especially with how gingerly Derek treated it. It had to be beyond valuable, in both monetary and sentimental value. 

“Thank you,” Stiles said seriously, too afraid to do more than look at the book at the moment, “I swear, I won’t let anything happen to it, I won’t take it out of here, nothing. Really though, thank you so much. This is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen.” Stiles’ fingers brushed the edges of the pages and he could feel their age easily if he couldn’t already see it and even smell it. This book could probably tell some amazing stories if it could speak, stories even more amazing than it undoubtedly held inside already. For now, Stiles stood and helped Derek move the low coffee table to the side, carefully shifting it so the book would not move. They set up the futon together, not really saying anything but giving small smiles when they caught each other’s eye. 

When everything was set up, they bid each other good night even though they were only going a few feet away from each other really. Despite that, Stiles stayed up a little longer, reading the book. He read slowly, so as to not need to turn the page too often and disturb Derek. It was wildly interesting, going into how exactly the curse was cast and giving a few excerpts taken from the family’s personal journals that someone had copied in. This book was clearly made with the intention of recording history. It was large and he only got through about ten pages before he could feel his eyes drifting shut. He closed the book and he locked the clasp, moving just enough to put the protective cloth cover over it as well. He was serious when he promised that nothing would happen to it. 

Stiles wished more than anything that he hadn’t fallen asleep. 

He was back at the encampment. Looking down at himself, he could see that he was in one of his new outfits, nicer clothes than anything anyone else was wearing. Everywhere he went, the faces he had grown up with glared at him and stared with disgust and contempt. He didn’t understand. He tried to ask where his father was, but no one would speak to him. They just turned their backs on him and pretended he wasn’t there. Stiles was becoming more and more frantic as he began to run through the camp, tearing open tents begging someone to tell him where his father was. Finally, he found his father. He was haggard and dirty and it was obvious that he was drunk. 

“The hell are you doing here?” his father slurred. 

“What are you talking about? Dad, I came back for you,” Stiles said desperately, trying to get his father to look at him.

“You think I want you here?” his father spat, “You think I want some werewolf’s whore? You’re not my son.” 

“Dad,” Stiles said desperately, tears forming in his eyes, “Dad, please. I’m your son. I never, I wouldn’t, Dad I hate werewolves.” Stiles’ father barked out a harsh laugh. 

“Look at yourself,” his father yelled, throwing his bottle inches from where Stiles stood, “Living with them, eating with them, sleeping with them. You’re his plaything. His little toy. Go back where you belong, laying on his bed with your legs spread.” Stiles was openly crying now, begging his father to understand, to listen, that Derek was different. His father let out a drunken scream, launching himself at Stiles, wrapping his hands around his son’s neck. He slammed Stiles’ head into the ground, squeezing his neck until he couldn’t breathe. 

“Dad no!” Stiles bolted awake screaming, tears streaming openly down his face as he tried to catch his breath. He was sobbing and he couldn’t stop it, the idea that his father wouldn’t accept him back was tearing him apart. 

Derek smiled and nodded, shrugging his shoulders. "You're welcome. Once you get past the first half of the book it's not so much stories as just gathered information. Things we've learned about werewolves and what we can do; how to turn other werewolves, how we can tell if they'll be able to turn or not, how to choose an emissary, how to control the shift, the affects of rowan ash and wolfsbane and mistletoe. It's all in there," he explained as he got up and got to his feet. "I'm exhausted, though. Turn out the light when you're finished."

Derek moved over to his dresser and pulled out a pair of clean boxers and a pair of sweat pants before going into the bathroom. He changed quickly and then brushed his teeth, used the toilet, and washed his hands and face. As he finished up, he hung the towel back up after drying his skin and went back into the bedroom. Stiles was stooped over the book and Derek smiled fondly before going over to turn out the lights, leaving the floor lamp by Stiles on so he could still see to read by. 

"Goodnight, Stiles," he hummed quietly as he climbed into bed and he laid back, letting the sound of Stiles' heart beat and the scrape of oxygen being inhaled lull him into a deep sleep. 

He dreamt of terrible things, sallow skin and black veins and dark eyes and blood around pale lips that used to be the most beautiful shade of red. He dreamt of hollow bones and clinging skin and bodies that were best left buried. He didn't thrash or cry out though, just endured his dreams in agony until he was startled awake. At first he wasn't sure what by but then Stiles was crying out again and looking frantic and Derek leapt out of bed over to the futon without thinking about it. He sat down and pulled Stiles close against his chest, holding him firmly. 

"Stiles, Stiles shhh, it's okay, you're okay, you're safe," he chanted softly, not wanting Kenna to wake up again. She'd looked exhausted already. "I've got you, I'm right here, I won't let anything hurt you, just take deep even breaths alright? You're okay, you're okay, you're safe, you're okay." 

Stiles clung to Derek without even thinking, desperately needing the tactile comfort that another person could offer him. He buried his face in Derek’s chest, still shaking with the force of his crying. His father’s words from his dream still rang through his head, each one like a shot through his heart, tearing away another piece and he just couldn’t calm down. It took upwards of fifteen minutes for him to finally calm himself down to minor sniffles and uneven breathing with a few hiccups. 

“I-I’m sorry,” was the first thing out of Stiles mouth, tears still on the edge of his vision, a lump lodged firmly in his throat. He couldn’t really say much after that, his voice threatening to betray his weakness. He didn’t want to tell Derek what he had been dreaming about. Saying it out loud would only make it that much more real. He pulled away from where he had pressed himself against Derek, wiping his face, trying to erase the evidence that he had been crying. He took a few slow, deep breaths and tried to give Derek a weak smile to show that he would be alright. 

“You should go back to sleep,” he finally whispered, afraid that talking too much louder would make his voice crack. He looked down at his hands as he spoke. Part of him wanted to ask Derek to stay awake with him, to talk about stupid things and distract him until he fell asleep. Another part was remembering how soundly he had slept after Derek had wrapped himself around him and wanted that kind of peacefulness now. Both were things that Stiles would never ask for himself. 

Stiles doubted he would be sleeping any more tonight, not if he had a say in it. This nightmare had hit a little too close to home, too close to reality. It was in the realm of possibility and that was what made it the scariest. The fact that it could actually happen scared the shit out of Stiles and he never wanted to think about it again. He needed to believe that his father would never do that to him. 

Derek's chants faded into soft murmurs of words that he wasn't even aware of, not really knowing what he was saying but just trying to get Stiles to calm down. He held him close like he seemed to want to be held and just rocked him very slowly, rubbing his back, trying to get him to calm down. Slowly his heart rate evened out and even if his breaths were a little hitched and erratic they weren't as panicked anymore. 

When Stiles apologized. Derek shook his head and very tentatively reached out to wipe the tears from under his eyes. "Don't apologize, Stiles. You don't ever need to apologize to me for this," he whispered quietly, fingers lingering on Stiles' skin. Stiles told him to go back to sleep but after his own nightmares and worrying about Stiles he knew he wouldn't be able to so he just shook his head, took Stiles' hand gently. "Come with me," he offered nervously, voice low like maybe Stiles wouldn't hear him but the rest of the room was silent. "Sometimes it helps, to have someone nearby. I had a nightmare too. Besides, my bed is more comfortable anyways." 

He coaxed Stiles up slowly but surely and led him back to his own bed. It was probably a very bad decision because Stiles' scent would seep into everything, the mattress and the pillows. It would take months to get it out, maybe longer. But Derek shoved it out of his mind and let Stiles crawl onto the soft mattress, going around to get on the other side. Derek pulled up the plush blue down comforter over them and moved closer to Stiles, reaching between the short distance of space between them to find his hand. He wasn't sure if Stiles would want more than that or not so he left it up to him. 

"Do you want to talk?" he asked after a moment, scooting a little bit closer. "We don't have to talk about your dream but about anything you want. Get your mind off of it." 

Stiles had followed Derek over to the bed in a bit of a daze, not entirely sure of what he was doing. He couldn’t tell if this was a good idea or not because this was different. This wasn’t Stiles falling off the bed and Derek using his wolf form to be his pillow. This was the two of them actively and consciously deciding to get into bed together, even if there was nothing sexual behind it, there were some kind of lines that were being crossed here. Stiles wasn’t entirely sure what those lines were, but he knew that something was being changed between them. 

For once in Stiles’ life, his mind was completely blank. He had no idea what they should talk about, what to say or do. All he could think about was what they were doing and his nightmare. Would talking about it make it go away faster? Stiles honestly wasn’t sure if he would be able to get through talking about it.

“It was my dad,” Stiles finally murmured, his mouth deciding before his brain could catch up, “I… I had gone back to camp for him, to take care of him, but when I got there no one would speak to me. They could barely even look at me. When I finally found my dad, he was drunk. He hasn’t had alcohol since my mom died. He was… he started yelling at me,” it was getting harder for Stiles to speak, tears stinging the corners of his eyes, “Calling me a traitor and a whore, telling me I wasn’t his son because I hadn’t killed you or hurt you and actually kind of liked you,” Stiles was crying now, hiccupping through his words, tears streaming down his face again, “He attacked me, trying to make me leave, trying to kill me. Derek, he hated me.” 

Stiles hated his mouth. If he had just let his brain decide that no, he couldn’t talk about this, he wouldn’t be sitting in bed with Derek, crying. He shook his head, cutting off anything that Derek might have to say about his dream. 

“Please just, I shouldn’t have, just please talk to me about something else, anything else,” Stiles said quickly, wiping the tears off his face and looking up at Derek, waiting for him to start some other line of conversation. 

Derek's heart broke with Stiles' forced out words and he wanted to wrap him up tightly in his arms, protect him from everything. He wasn't sure his touch would be welcome or not considering the dream subject but he moved forward carefully and pulled Stiles towards him at the same time until his arms were wound around Stiles' body firm enough to keep him close but loose enough that Stiles could break out if he needed the space. Derek wouldn't force the proximity but Stiles' heartbeat was already calming down. 

He wanted to reassure him, offer to maybe go find his father and bring him back to live with them, but he wasn't sure the offer would be a desirable one. And in any case Stiles asked him to change the subject. Taking into account what Stiles had shared almost without meaning to, Derek decided to bare a little of himself as well. Maybe if Derek was just as vulnerable as Stiles then he wouldn't feel so uncomfortable. 

"When I was sixteen we- my parents they brought home two humans from the auction house, a girl and her father. My parents wanted to keep them from being separated because they couldn't imagine what it would be like to be separated from us that way. The girl's name was Paige and she was my age, so I would come home from school and teach her whatever I'd learned that day. I fell in love with her quickly and by the time we turned eighteen, I'd proposed," he explained quietly, not trusting his voice to come more than just slightly louder than a whisper. "There are… there are ways to tell if a human will survive receiving the Bite. Turning her was the only legal way we could marry. If she'd been an emissary, that would've worked too but she didn't possess the natural spark that she would've had to have been born with. So we did the tests to see if she would survive it and it all pointed to a negative outcome. We didn't have to get married. She could've easily just stayed with me whenever I moved out of my parents’ house. There's obviously no laws about, well, sex. We still could've been happy together." 

Derek took a shuddery breath and hid his face against Stiles' shoulder for a moment, breathing him in, clutching a bit tightly at his t-shirt over his back before releasing it slowly, pulling his face away. "Deucalion had been a tentative ally of my parents but he wanted power more than anything else. He was trying to legitimize a claim that he was the last living descendant of the second werewolf family but there was no proof, everything said that they had died out centuries before so he went looking for power with my parents. People talk of course and he heard about what was going on with Paige, one day while he was at the house," Derek's voice grew hard and angry but he kept it in control, eyes staying their normal human color, teeth and nails blunt. "Later that night he called me, asked me to meet him with Paige because he had an idea. So being stupid and in love and ready to try anything, we went. He told me that the tests weren't always accurate and there was only one way to know for sure and that was to bite her. He was already an alpha at the time, from a smaller pack that had all died and he was the only one left, protected in an alliance with a small group of other lone alphas. I tried to fight him but he had ten years on me and he was an alpha. He bit her. And it didn't work. She was in so much pain. I held her for hours, taking as much of it as I could but there was always more and I couldn't keep up with it. In the end she begged me and I refused so many times and then I just... I couldn't let her hurt anymore, not when I could do something about it. So I promised her that everything was going to be okay and I... I killed her. We tried to get Deucalion arrested for it but he framed one of the other lone alphas in his makeshift pack. No one hates him more than I do except maybe Dennis. Dennis was her father." 

Everything was silent for a long moment and Derek just breathed heavily, forced back the anger and worked through the grief quickly until his eyes no longer stung. He swallowed thickly and licked his lips. "You don't have to say anything, it's okay. But just know...just because I'm privileged doesn't mean I haven't had my share of heartache, that I've had a perfect life and I may not know exactly what you're going through but you can always talk to me. I'll be here for you, Stiles. I'll help you in anyway you need it. Even this," he said on a whisper, rubbing Stiles' back to indicate their proximity and that he didn't mind it at all and Stiles could ask for it if he needed it. "All you've got to do is say the word, alright? I know what it's like to want to do everything on your own and be strong for yourself, but that way lays many bad things. Sometimes you need someone to lean on, to share the burden with. And I'm pretty strong you know, I could help you with that burden. If you wanted me to."

Stiles was completely without words. The more Derek spoke, the more speechless Stiles became, if that was even possible. What Derek was saying seemed to be the plot of some demented romance horror story. Stiles had no idea how the werewolf was still able to function. Stiles flashed back to the diner on the way back from the auction house and Deucalion and how protective Derek had been of him immediately. He now completely understood. Deucalion had harmed a human in Derek’s protection once and Derek was determined for it to never happen again. Maybe because they had already crossed that barrier or maybe it was the secret cover that night offered rather than the harsh light of day, but Stiles leaned forward and wrapped his arms around Derek’s neck in a tight hug. It was a little awkward since they were sitting on the bed and Stiles ended up kind of leaning into Derek, the only thing keeping them from falling over was the werewolf’s strength. 

“How can I give you any of my burdens when you have so many of your own?” Stiles whispered, his forehead resting against Derek’s shoulder. He knew that in the morning he would probably feel really conflicted and strange about what had happened between them, but here and now Stiles found that he couldn’t care about that. Derek had offered him comfort and Stiles would do the same. He felt like that the both of them had enough heartache for tonight, not to mention that they had the dinner with Derek’s pack tomorrow and it would probably be suspicious if the two of them were yawning through the meal. Stiles pulled away after what felt like an eternity but was probably only five minutes at the most. 

“Let’s go to sleep,” Stiles finally said, looking down at his hands, “You may be able to pull off the bags under your eyes, but I can’t.” He hoped that the joke would lighten the air a bit, make things a little less intense than they had been only moments ago. He offered Derek a small smile before scooting away so that he could settle down in his side of the bed. He would definitely feel weird in the morning, but right now it just felt like the right thing to do. He laid down with his back to Derek. He was asleep nearly as soon as he hit the pillow, proving just how physically and emotionally wiped out he actually he was. Because he was asleep, Stiles didn’t notice when he started moving towards Derek. He didn’t notice the way that he completely rolled over and pressed himself against Derek, head under his chin, legs pressing against Derek’s, his arms trapped between them. In the morning, he would definitely be embarrassed, but now it was an instinct, a pull that he didn’t even know was happening as he slept on, breaths even and calm, no nightmares in sight. 

When Stiles put his arms around Derek, Derek leaned into it instinctively, pulling him closer and hiding his face in Stiles' shoulder without really knowing why he did it. Something just kept pulling him to Stiles, making him want to be as close as possible. It was probably his scent. Stiles smelled intoxicating and wonderful and Derek wanted to keep him. They stayed like that for an immeasurable amount of time, hours or seconds who knew?, despite the awkward angle. Derek knew it was probably hurting Stiles' back and he should pull away but he was just so comfortable, he felt safe somehow. 

When asked how Stiles was supposed to give Derek any of his burdens when Derek already had his own to bear, he just smiled and shrugged, tightening his arms around Stiles gently until Stiles was practically almost in his lap. "Like I said, I'm pretty strong and there's a lot of space in my head. I'm good at compartmentalizing. I want to help you, if you'll let me," he answered quietly, whispering the words into Stiles' hair so that his breath fanned out over his skin, lips just barely brushing the top curve of his ear. Derek wondered what it would be like to move his lips just a little further down, how Stiles would taste if he let his tongue trace the shell of his ear and kissed down his neck. But he knew that would be a very, very bad idea so he kept himself in control, holding back. He swallowed thickly when Stiles moved away because he wanted to reach out again. But they were both exhausted and they had things to do tomorrow before they went to Derek's parents' house for dinner. 

He laid down as well, slipping against the sheets and pulling the covers up over him, head on the large plush pillow. He watched Stiles as he turned his back to Derek and fell asleep quickly, heartbeat evening out, before he closed his eyes himself. But he noticed when Stiles started shifting, moving closer to Derek in his sleep, and Derek hesitated but moved closer too until they met in the middle of the bed. They were all tangled up in limbs, ankles hooked and Stiles' head tucked under Derek's chin even though they were both laying on their sides. Derek wrapped his arms tightly around Stiles and settled in for the night - only after taking a moment to appreciate the way the moonlight cast Stiles' pale skin into a silvery glow, his hair like copper. Derek thought he'd never seen something so beautiful and he hoped like hell he'd be able to keep him. He took a deep breath and then closed his eyes, keeping Stiles safe and close and somehow in the night one of his legs ended up hooked over and behind both of Stiles' as if trying to shield him.


	5. Chapter 5

Just like the last time Stiles had slept near Derek, he didn’t have any nightmares and slept soundly, not waking up once. If he had been thinking, he may have noticed the irony in feeling the safest when he was close to the thing that he had been taught all his life was the most dangerous thing he would ever encounter. Of course, Stiles wasn’t thinking. Stiles was a little preoccupied trying to take in what exactly was happening. He had woken up around eight thirty in the morning, when the sun had shifted in a certain way so that it now shined directly in his face. After wiggling slightly to try and escape it, Stiles finally just decided to wake up. He had opened his eyes to get an eyeful of Derek’s chest and it took him a moment to realize that they were completely entwined. He was sort of having a silent freak out. He had no idea how it had happened, though their placement in the middle of the bed suggested that it wasn’t just one of them to blame, it was both. Still, Derek’s strong arms were wrapped protectively around him, and his legs were completely encasing Stiles’. The teenager couldn’t deny that he felt comfortable, safe, and just… right. Well, he could deny it, but he would be lying. 

It was a feeling that Stiles was getting constantly around Derek, this strange feeling of rightness. Stiles didn’t even know if that was really a thing, but there had to be something behind it, some reason that it was happening. Be it magic or something older than the two of them and the dawn of time, Stiles needed to figure out what it was. He hoped that maybe the book Derek had showed him last night would help. It was older than any other book in the library and was bound to have information that those things didn’t. Stiles still had the Internet of course, but that was all modern stuff. The only old things that were on the Internet were the forty year olds looking to find themselves a nice teenager. 

“Derek,” Stiles whispered, trying to wake the werewolf up, “Derek, wake up. Derek, I really have to pee.” It was just like playing hide and seek. As soon as the perfect hiding place was found and you couldn’t leave, you had to pee immediately. As soon as Stiles realized that Derek’s firm hold on him made it almost impossible to get out of bed without injuring one or both of them, he seriously had to go to the bathroom. 

Derek slept soundly and peacefully, deeply for the first time in a very long time. His nightmares and ghosts didn't haunt him and he was able to slip fully into sleep, which is why he didn't wake when Stiles did. He was too deeply asleep to register the change in his breathing or heartbeat, at least because it wasn't panicked or scared, no indication of a threat. So when Stiles shook him, Derek just grumbled a bit and tightened his hold, shaking his head as he shifted to bury his face in Stiles' hair.

"Don' wanna," he mumbled in protest, hand sweeping over Stiles' back in a placating gesture. "Stay." He nuzzled behind Stiles' ear and settled in more fully, his subconscious, still mostly asleep mind wanted Derek to keep Stiles close and not let him get away. But Stiles insisted he had to pee and Derek grumbled but gave him some space. "C'me back," he requested as he loosened his hold and then face planted into his pillow, a soft little snore escaping. He'd been too warm and comfortable and reluctant to wake from such a wonderful sleep. His body wasn't letting him wake up fully yet so his tongue was looser and he wasn't able to suppress his desires very well. Or at all really. 

Stiles slid out of bed and was struck by how cold he felt, standing on his own. He pushed it out of his mind and went to go use the bathroom. After using the toilet and washing his hands, Stiles splashed some water on his face. He could still feel a slight tingle where Derek had nuzzled against him. He could still feel the ghost of Derek’s touch on his back. Stiles slapped himself in the face, trying to snap himself back into reality. Still, when he reentered the main room, he found himself standing at the side of the bed before he even realized. Derek had requested that he come back. Derek wanted him to get back into bed so they could sleep some more. Stiles stared down at the werewolf, majorly conflicted. 

This would be different from last night. Last night, they were both distressed and hurting and they needed physical comfort. The shadows and soft lines of night had been forgiving, but the harsh light of the morning sun was throwing everything into a sharp, critical gaze. This wouldn’t be Stiles accidentally cuddling when he was asleep because his mind was scared. This would be Stiles consciously choosing to get back into this bed when his mind was clear and alert. He could feel something tugging at him, something telling him that he should get back into the warm bed with Derek and stop thinking. It was almost like their own little world up here, separated from the rest of the house. After standing at the side of the bed for probably ten minutes, Stiles finally reached out a hand to lift up the covers as he climbed back in. He didn’t move as close as he had been to Derek, but he wasn’t hovering at the edge of the bed either. He kind of wanted to see what the werewolf would do, if he was feeling the same pull that Stiles was feeling. 

Derek fell back into a deep sleep once Stiles had gone but not as deeply as before. He didn't rouse until he felt the bed dip and Stiles crawl onto the mattress almost tentatively and he reached out, searching until he found Stiles' hand and gave a gentle tug until Stiles came back. He shifted over so that Stiles was laying on his back and Derek curled up into his side, head over Stiles' heart tucked up under his chin. He hooked a leg over one of Stiles', arm snaking around his waist and face pressing into Stiles' neck tightly. He gave a big yawn and then settled into him. 

Derek didn't really dream but it was more flashes of images that he'd forgotten as soon as they disappeared; images of his family and Paige when she was still happy, telling him to be happy. He saw images of Stiles and himself, his pack, their potential future. But he didn't remember any but the last image that just hovered off in the periphery of his mind's eye, all but refusing to be acknowledged. He roused from sleep slowly an hour later, letting his body decide how fast he wanted to wake up. As he became more and more awake he realized the position he was in with Stiles but stayed still, not freezing or locking up or doing anything that would alert Stiles to the fact that he was awake. He could feel and hear Stiles' heart beating beneath his cheek, skin soft where he'd accidentally somehow gotten his hand on the bare skin of his hip. He didn't want to move but he wasn't sure how Stiles would feel about them like this. Did- did he ask Stiles to come back after letting him up or was that a dream? He wasn't sure but he didn't want to move just yet so he hang on a little longer than he should have. 

Evidently, Derek was feeling a very similar feeling. Within seconds of Stiles laying down again, Derek had been drawn to him like a moth to the flame, wrapping around him gently and protectively. Stiles didn’t know what to do. Derek’s weight was warm and comforting, his even breaths puffing gently across Stiles’ skin. For his part, he did make an extraordinary effort not to freak out or do anything that would make Derek wake up. If the guy wanted his sleep than far be it from Stiles to be the one to wake him up. It took Stiles a while to fall asleep again, hyper aware of every point where he and Derek were touching. He bit down on his lip when Derek shifted ever so slightly, his hand having worked its way under his shirt and slightly under the waistband of his pants to rest like a hot brand against the skin of his hip. It took Stiles even longer to sleep after that, but eventually he did, one hand resting against Derek. 

“Boys,” Kenna called, knocking on the door loudly just over an hour later causing Stiles to jerk awake roughly, “Wake up! It’s almost ten and we’re due at the house at two.” He let out a groan at being forced to move, knowing that she would come in if they didn’t give some kind of response. She just knocked hard once more before Stiles could hear her descending down the stairs again. Seconds later Stiles was aware of the position that he and Derek had gotten themselves into. 

“Umm… good morning?” Stiles said uncertainly, voice still rough from sleep. He wasn’t really sure how he was supposed to react to this or how Derek was going to react. Technically, Stiles had chosen to get back into the bed after getting up, but he wasn’t sure if Derek remembered that. There were plenty of conversations that Stiles had had with his father but never remembered because he was only half awake. Derek’s hand still felt warm and inviting against his skin and Stiles found himself not wanting to pull away. 

Derek didn't jump when Kenna knocked on the door because he heard her coming up the stairs in the first place but he didn't care about being found like this. (Even though he knew being found cuddled up with Stiles would only lead to more annoying looks from Kenna.) She didn't come in though and for that he was grateful though now Stiles was rousing. Derek could feel the uncertainty from the younger man and he just decided to yawn, play it off like it was nothing. He didn't want to call attention to it and make it awkward. He nuzzled the front of Stiles' t-shirt one last time and then gently moved off of him onto his own back, rubbing at his eyes. He knew his hair was sticking up in all different directions and there were probably lines on his face from the wrinkles in Stiles' t-shirt but he didn't care so much. They'd go away. He made a soft noise and then turned his head to look at Stiles a bit. 

"Morning," he mumbled, voice raw and rough with sleep still as he studied Stiles' face. He wondered what it would be like - not for the first time - to have Stiles' fingers run through his hair. "D'you sleep okay?" He turned away again when he yawned and then stretched his arms over his head, extending his legs as far as they'd go as he stretched himself awake. He didn't know what it was about stretching in the morning that made him feel good, or anyone for that matter. But it worked. He scratched absently at his naked chest and then put his arms down next to him, one brushing against Stiles' but he didn't move it away, trying to gauge a reaction. "I don' wanna get up yet," he decided and closed his eyes, thought about rolling towards Stiles again but wasn't sure it was a great idea since he wasn't half delirious with lack of sleep anymore. 

Stiles felt strangely cold when Derek rolled away, but he didn’t want to call attention to it. He sat up, trying to get himself to wake up a bit. He suddenly found himself glued to the shifting muscles on Derek’s back as he stretched out his arms and legs. A thought wondering what his skin might taste like if Stiles were to lick it crossed his mind briefly but Stiles slammed a rock down on that train before it could really leave the station. Those were definitely not thoughts he should be having about Derek of all people. There was nothing about that that was okay. 

“I don’t either,” Stiles said with a yawn, flopping over as well. They stayed on their own sides this time and he kind of wanted to roll over so they were at least a little closer, and that freaked him out. He shouldn’t be having thoughts like that, but everything about the action just screamed right. Stiles’ gaze fell on the cloth-covered book and he almost itched to try and do some more researched. 

“If we don’t get up now, Kenna’s just going to come back,” Stiles eventually said after the two of them had laid in silence for a few minutes, “I think she made my outfit today her personal mission and if I don’t shower, I’m a little afraid that she’ll wash me herself.” He tried to give a little smile, but he was a bit preoccupied. After a few more moments, Stiles finally forced himself to slip out of bed. He went over and grabbed everything he needed for the suit Kenna wanted him to wear today. “I’m gonna go shower downstairs,” Stiles said, not wanting to keep Derek out of his own bathroom, “Thanks for last night.” He gave Derek a bit of a shy smile before leaving the room. He would get a chance for research later. Now he was a little more scared of Kenna coming to shove him into the clothes. 

They lay there in a comfortable sort of quiet for a long time and Derek itched to reach out, to close the distance between them and just curl into each other. He wanted to bury his nose in Stiles' neck again, get his hands on soft skin, not to ruin but to remind himself that he was alive. Stiles made him feel good and he felt pulled towards him, like gravity had shifted and suddenly it wasn't the earth holding him to the ground but the young man beside him. And wasn't that a terrifying thought? He shouldn't put so much emotion into one person, shouldn't get so attached when chances were slim that anything more would come of it. Stiles was missing his father and Derek knew that he would try to find a way to get to him. Derek just needed to find a way to get Stiles' father back before Stiles did anything stupid that would put him in danger. 

He glanced over at Stiles when he broke the silence and cracked a smile. "She would definitely try," he agreed with a laugh in reference to Kenna trying to wash Stiles herself. He sat up when Stiles slipped out of bed, watching him gather up his things and nodding when Stiles said he'd go shower downstairs. "Anytime, Stiles. Honestly, I- it was nice," he said and regretted it immediately. It was nice?! He felt a little like an idiot but he watched Stiles head out of the bedroom, close the door behind him. Derek heaved a heavy sigh and fell back into his pillows, smashing one over his face for a moment before forcing himself out of bed. 

He padded barefoot into the bathroom and started the shower going while he used the toilet and brushed his teeth then stripped down and stepped under the steaming spray. He took an extra few minutes to scrub his skin so that he wouldn't smell so much like Stiles and his family wouldn't be able to tell they'd slept in the same bed. It would definitely earn him more than a few smirks and probably worried eyes from his mother. She always worried about him. He got out though and went through the motions of scrubbing himself and his hair dry, wrapping the towel around his waist and padding out of the bathroom into the closet. 

"You should wear the dark grey Varvatos suit with the black button down and burgundy tie. Pair it with the burgundy shoes you've got and you're golden," Kenna said from the doorway and Derek merely glanced back at her before shrugging. She had better fashion sense than he did. "We need to leave in the next hour and a half. Dennis said the lumber delivery should be here in the next thirty minutes though." 

"Alright, I'll meet them downstairs. You can go finish getting ready," Derek answered with a nod and she smiled as he took the suit she'd told him to wear off the clothes rack before disappearing out the bedroom again. 

Stiles spent a suspiciously long time in the shower. Or so it seemed. In reality, he turned the water on to let it heat up and then stood in front of the sink for about ten minutes thinking about last night, and this morning. He really had enjoyed being close to Derek, both physically and whatever emotional barrier they had crossed together. Derek had come to comfort him, seemingly without a thought and Stiles had accepted it similarly quickly. It had just felt right. He kept thinking that over and over and every time he did, it came with this strange pull to get close to Derek in every way. 

After Sties finally got out of the shower, he made sure to scrub his hair as dry as possible so that it wouldn’t drip on the suit Kenna wanted him to wear. Seconds after his towel was secured around his waist, a knock sounded at the bathroom door. 

“Umm, who is it?” Stiles asked.

“It’s me,” Kenna said, “Put on everything so I can come in and fix it.” 

“I think I know how to get dressed,” Stiles mumbled.

“I heard that and hurry up,” Kenna said impatiently. Stiles made a face at the door but started getting dressed anyway. The steam from his shower slowly faded away with the fan going and soon enough, Stiles had everything on.

“Alright, come on in,” he said, flicking the lock open so that Kenna could come in. She was wearing just a bathrobe, but her hair and makeup were done beautifully. She immediately began pulling and tugging on his clothes, evening things out and pulling things into place. Stiles didn’t want to admit it, but he did actually look a bit better. 

“That’s better,” Kenna said, as though reading his mind.

“I still think I look ridiculous,” Stiles grumbled, “This is such a bright shade of red.”

“Stiles, you look hot, and I’m sure I’m not the only one who will think so,” Kenna said with a smile. Stiles just stared at her, completely confused. Kenna just laughed. “Don’t get any stains on your clothes. I’m going to finish getting ready,” she instructed as she left. Stiles made a face at her as soon as she was out of sight. “Don’t wrinkle them either!” she called when she was down the hall. Stiles sighed. That ruled out curling up in the library with a few more books. He went downstairs instead, deciding he would look for something small to eat for breakfast before going over to eat dinner. 

Derek had gotten dressed in what Kenna practically ordered him into. He'd had years to practice dressing in suits though so Kenna didn't feel the need to check in on him and make sure he dressed himself correctly. He slipped on the burgundy shoes and tied them up before heading downstairs, checking his watch. He didn't hear tires coming their way yet though so he figured he was safe to make some coffee before they got there. He was straightening his jacket sleeves as he stepped into the kitchen and then looked up to see Stiles, breath catching as he took in the bright red suit and the blue shirt, no tie so the hollow of his throat was exposed. Derek wanted to put his mouth there. 

He swallowed thickly and recovered himself a moment later, smoothing a hand down his own tie. "You look really...I mean the suit it...umm, you look great," he finally stuttered out, cracking a smile and a faint blush as he crossed the room to the counter where the Keurig sat. "Do you want a cup of coffee or some tea? Hot chocolate? This thing makes it all." He rubbed the back of his neck and pressed the button to turn the machine on, pulling a cup down from the cabinet. 

That same pull was there, to get nearer to Stiles, to run a hand down his arm and tangle their fingers, to kiss him. He wanted, wanted, wanted so damn badly. But he knew that he wasn't allowed, he shouldn't want Stiles the way that he did. It was ridiculous and uncalled for. Hadn't he learned his lesson on falling in love with humans already? Besides, Stiles probably didn't even...well he didn't not like Derek, that much was obvious but he probably didn't want Derek the way Derek wanted him. It wasn't even just...physically that Derek wanted him either. He wanted to curl up on the couch and watch mindless television with Stiles in their sweatpants, wanted to sleep next to him every night and kiss him when he got home from work. He couldn't though. He shouldn't. So he shoved it all down into a drawer, closed it up tightly at least for the rest of the day. Laura would definitely smell it on him or be able to tell somehow. 

Stiles had just been opening up the box of crackers that he found when he heard footsteps. He froze, afraid it was Kenna, but it was only Derek. Only Derek in a suit. Stiles found himself stuck for a moment, staring at the man in front of him. He felt the strangest urge to grab Derek by his tie and yank him down for a kiss. Stiles had to shake his head slightly to physically dislodge the thought. That wasn’t allowed. Not only was it weird, but also that would make him exactly what his father had screamed at him last night. A traitor. Stiles couldn’t risk how his father would see him. Not for Derek, not for anyone. Stiles’ father was the only family he had left. 

Still, Stiles felt it again now that Derek was in the room. This undeniable pull. This desire to hold Derek close, to be close with him in every possible way, emotionally as well as physically. It scared the ever-living shit out of Stiles. He had never felt something like that for anyone, especially not the werewolf who had bought him from an auction house. But still, Stiles felt it. He felt it every time he looked at Derek and he wanted to know why. 

“I’m, uhh, I’m good thanks,” Stiles managed to get out, tearing his gaze away from Derek to stare at the box of crackers in his hands. It was silent for a moment or two before Stiles spoke again. “Umm, your suit… it also… you know… very good,” Stiles pushed out, clearing his throat after he did. God, he was so stupid. He could feel himself heating up from embarrassment and it made him want to take off the stupid suit, no matter what Derek said about it. It physically hurt Stiles to look at, at least when he had the jacket on. When he took it off and had more of his muted blue shirt to offset the bright red, it wasn’t as bad. Stiles wondered if Kenna would let him get away with leaving the jacket behind. 

“So, your entire pack is gonna be there tonight?” Stiles heard himself ask, immediately shoving some crackers into his mouth right after. He did want to know who would be there though, wanting to know how greatly he’d be outnumbered. He knew Derek would be there, obviously, along with Erica, Boyd, and Isaac. Stiles had technically met Laura at the auction house. Kenna had mentioned Derek’s father at dinner the previous night, so he would probably be there. That was already six werewolves. Stiles just had to hope that they were like Derek and maybe had a supernatural proof room for him to escape to if he needed it. 

Derek smiled a bit when Stiles stuttered over complimenting his suit as well, closing the cupboard and setting his own cup under the spout. He put the little plastic cup in and closed it, pressing the button and then turning to lean against the counter. "Thanks, uh, Kenna insisted that I should wear this one," he responded with a shy little smile, glancing down at his phone when he got a text message from his sister before tucking it away in his pocket again. He thought about the question posed and did a mental count in his head. He made a face and then shrugged sheepishly. "I'm not sure, honestly. It's not really a formal sit down dinner. More like my mother likes to have an excuse to get all of her children and grandchildren together. But you won't be the only human there. I have human family members who haven't decided whether to be turned or not. And Kenna can show you places to go if you need some air, or I can. You can stick as close as you want. It's really not that much different than a regular family except that there's a lot of us and sometimes the younger kids accidentally sprout fangs or claws or fur." He gave a slightly amused little smile and hoped to appease Stiles but he didn't think he'd done a very good job. 

Kenna bounced into the room a moment later with a big smile in a soft cotton dress in a pretty shade of very, very pale pink. It sat off her shoulders and swept at her feet, the low neckline exposing the tanned skin of her collarbone and long line of her throat. Her hair was swept up in a delicate braid and curled up at the back to keep it off of her neck, make up simple but accentuating her natural beauty; long lashes and chocolate eyes and rosy cheeks and soft lips. "You boys look dashing," she announced with a huge grin as she snagged an apple from the counter and took a big bite. 

Derek glanced over at Kenna and smiled back as she leaned against the island easily. "You look stunning as your usual. Hot date tonight?" he asked teasingly and Kenna beamed. 

"As a matter of fact, I do," she responded after swallowing her apple and then looked over at Stiles. "You can meet Jacob tonight, Stiles. He's so amazing." 

The fact that Derek couldn’t actually say for sure how many werewolves were going to be there made Stiles even more nervous, if that was possible. The human family members didn’t help much either. Sure they were human, but they were Derek’s family. That definitely put the odds in the werewolf favor, though the odds for what Stiles wasn’t sure. It was just the way he had been raised thinking. His father always told him to treat every room like a battlefield, and not knowing the enemy was freaking him out, even though they weren’t meant to be an enemy and Stiles was just overreacting. 

Kenna looked gorgeous when she came in, definitely dressed to impress. It suddenly struck Stiles as weird that they all had to dress up if this was just a family dinner, an excuse to get everyone together as Derek had said. He hoped that maybe the dress code changed every now and then, because he only had the three suits and he still felt weird about this one. Stiles slid the jacket off and hung it on the back of a chair, hoping to forget it there when they left. 

“There’s a Jacob?” Stiles asked, mock disappointment on his face, “Well there go my plans of wooing you.” He shot Kenna a teasing grin, one that she returned. 

“Are you sure that I was the one your plans said to woo?” she asked in false innocence, sparing a playful glance at Derek. 

“My wooing plans apply to all beautiful people,” Stiles answered, having completely missed her look towards Derek. 

“Well then, you might have a problem,” Kenna laughed, “Derek’s entire family is beautiful.” Stiles gave an over exaggerated mournful sigh. 

“Why must you take me places where I become the ugliest thing in the room?” Stiles asked, the smile tugging at his lips ruining his attempt at woefulness. 

“You ugly? Not possible,” Kenna said very matter-of-factly, “I dressed you after all.” She shot Stiles a sly grin and they both began to laugh. It calmed Stiles only slightly. He just wished he really knew more people that were going to be there. Going somewhere with two good friends and three acquaintances wasn’t exactly Stiles’ idea of fun. 

“How soon until we leave?” Stiles asked, “I could use some real food.”

Derek glanced at Stiles when he spoke and a spike of jealousy shot through him like lightening even though he knew that Stiles was only joking about his plans to woo Kenna. There was no chance of Kenna leaving Jacob either because they'd been dating since they were fourteen and Jacob was planning to propose that night which was the reason for the formalwear for everyone. He gave Kenna a dirty look when she glanced at him but smoothed out his expression quickly so Stiles wouldn't catch it. 

When reminded that all of his family was supernaturally beautiful - and not just because they were werewolves - Derek panicked a little bit. Because he had a lot of family members around Stiles' age and Stiles could easily fall for any of them and vice versa. And then Derek would be right back to where he was except worse. He'd lose Stiles and Kenna. He'd live in this giant house all on his own, completely empty but for him. Maybe he could get a dog. A dog would keep him company probably. Did dogs even like werewolves? Derek didn't know but what he did know was that his chest felt tight and he found it hard to swallow. 

He turned quickly to the counter so his back was to Kenna and Stiles as he got his coffee together once it finished brewing, taking a deep breath. He was overreacting he knew but he couldn't make himself stop thinking about it, Stiles finding someone who wasn't him but was related to him, having to see them together. He swallowed thickly and forced it out of his mind, taking a sip from his mug. He turned around again when he was calmer and shook his head at Stiles. 

"You're definitely not ugly. You're-" he cut himself off and blushed, lips loose as he darted his eyes away to look for a distraction. "I mean you're obviously, you know- umm." Kenna raised her brows at him, completely unhelpful. Luckily he heard tires on gravel coming up the drive and he cleared his throat. "The uh, delivery is here so I'm gonna go- yea." He fled the room, leaving his coffee behind which Kenna had no qualms about acquiring for herself. 

"He thinks you're attractive," Kenna said unabashedly as she sipped from the mug and leaned against the counter. "And we'll leave as soon as Derek finishes up with the delivery. We usually stop to get kolaches on the way because it's a little bit of a drive to his parents' house."

Stiles watched Derek all but flee the room, a bit confused about why he did it. The delivery must be important. At least, that’s what Stiles thought until Kenna’s blunt comment. Stiles’ face turned bright red and he started stuttering. 

“He thinks I’m—but I’m not—but he’s so, and I’m just—me? Attracti—no way,” Stiles babbled out, face still flushed. Kenna just raised an eyebrow at him as she sipped Derek’s coffee. 

“You two are either painfully oblivious or unfortunately wimpy,” Kenna said with a sigh, “Maybe both.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Stiles asked, an edge of a whine to his voice. 

“You two will find out eventually,” Kenna said easily, “Once one of you gets his butt in gear.” She finished off the rest of Derek’s coffee and placed the mug in the sink, leaving to get her coat before Stiles could respond. He wanted to bang his head against a table. His life had become confusing enough without Kenna being all cryptic and omniscient. He was tempted to ask her if she actually knew what was happening with him and Derek, if she knew about the weird pull he kept feeling, but he decided against it. He didn’t want to bring attention to something that could be entirely in his own imagination. There was no way Derek could even possibly think about him in the same way. Stiles was human, there was an age gap, and there was also a pretty big visual gap. Not to mention that Stiles’ personality wasn’t often seen as romantic material. 

In the end, all Stiles got for thinking about it was a mild headache. He sighed heavily and grabbed his jacket from the chair. Kenna would know if he left it behind, but there should be nothing wrong with leaving it in the car. It would still be there, it just wouldn’t be on him. It probably wasn’t even that cold anyway, and if it was it wasn’t like Stiles would be spending an extended amount of time outdoors. He probably wouldn’t even get the chance to be cold. 

Stiles wandered towards the garage, since that’s where Derek’s car was. He leaned against the wall next to the door and shut his eyes. Even though they had slept in incredibly late, Stiles still felt tired from last night. He was always extra tired after a nightmare, like his mind wasn’t able to complete a full rest cycle or something. He let his head thump back against the wall, eyes still shut, exposing the column of his neck. He would just rest his eyes for a minute and then Kenna and Derek would come to get in the car and they would go. Stiles had to be on the top of his game for this anyway.


	6. Chapter 6

After stopping on the way to Derek's parents' house for a bite to eat around eleven it was another long drive to their house out of town. They owned a large piece of property a bit further upstate that allowed their large pack to spend most full moons together, running around without interference from any other wolves. When Derek finally took a turn off of a back road, it twisted and turned for a few miles before suddenly opening up to a huge estate. The house itself was huge but not overly extravagant. It looked more like a nice family home that had just been added onto and added onto to keep making more room for everyone it had to support. It was white with blue shutters and a wrap around porch on both the first and second levels. There were already cars parked and the windows were lit up. Derek pulled the Camaro in next to a big SUV and then stepped out of the car, waiting for Stiles and giving him a reassuring smile. 

"If you need some space, all of the bedrooms on the left side of the second story are protected like your room and Kenna's, okay?" he told him gently in a low voice. 

Kenna led the way across the yard and up the porch steps into the house. The house was filled with happy chatter and the smell of delicious mouth watering food and glasses clinking together. Then there was a noise above and suddenly there were four little girls running into the room in various states of put-togetherness. Kenna smiled and stepped out of the way to give them a clear path to Derek. 

"Uncle Derek!" "Unca' Der!" "Bear!" came the excited little voices and then Derek was being used as a jungle gym as they climbed their way up. The oldest of them was probably five with dark, dark red hair and huge green eyes and she clung to Derek; the next two were twin three year olds with dark hair like Derek's and pale blue eyes; and the youngest was two with a mess of blonde curls around her head and eyes that were identical to Derek's. 

Derek had wavered a bit as they climbed their way up but eventually one of the twins ended up on his shoulders with the red head on his back and the blonde and the other twin on either hip, his arms holding them steady. 

Kenna pulled Stiles towards her side and grinned over at Derek, watching his demeanor change and soften as he talked to them. "Obviously Derek is the favorite uncle," she said quietly to Stiles, glancing at the human. "Those're his nieces. Amaya is the oldest, but she likes to be called James, she's five and a half. Then the twins are gonna be four in two months, the one on his shoulders is Hailey and the one on his hip is Hannah. You'll learn to tell them apart. And the youngest is Madison, she's just turned two, we call her Maddie." 

At the end of the foyer a dark haired girl appeared and holding her hand was a dark haired boy, skin a bit darker than the girl’s. "Hey, Allison, Scott, this is-" Kenna started but Scott's eyes went huge and he cut himself off. 

"Stiles?" he asked quietly, disbelievingly and the whole house seemed to go quiet. "Stiles!" All of a sudden Scott ran at him but Derek got there first, the girls suddenly standing and Derek crouched defensively in front of Stiles, eyes red and a snarl coming from his throat. Scott's eyes flashed gold and he snarled back but Derek's alpha won out over Scott's beta and Scott tilted his chin to bear his neck. 

"Boys, boys, none of that in front of the children," yet another voice called and both Scott and Derek straightened up like children being chastised. A tall gorgeous older woman with raven hair and freckled cheeks and soft brown eyes came in, stared at Derek until he moved aside, and smiled at Stiles. "Forgive my boys, please. Scott's new at this and Derek...well, he's protective. My name is Talia Hale. It's a great pleasure to meet you." 

The drive had been long and Stiles would admit to sleeping through most of it. He was never good with long car rides. Kenna had chastised him when they first stopped for risking wrinkles in his suit, but he had just made a face at her before dropping right back into sleep as soon as they started going again. He had woken up later, a little before they had actually gotten to the house. Stiles could feel himself getting more and more nervous the closer he got. When they finally pulled up, Stiles openly gaped at the size of the house and the number of cars sitting out front. He was more than a little intimidated. Derek’s gentle words made him feel marginally better as he catalogued just how many rooms there seemed to be in the left side of the house and which one was closest. His father’s words rang in his head: Always have an escape plan. 

Walking into the house was nerve wracking, but he almost burst into laughter when Derek was covered in little girls moments after walking through the door. It was possibly the cutest thing he had ever seen and Stiles felt a soft smile tugging at his lips. He listened carefully when Kenna told him all their names. He studied each face for a few moments, repeating the names over and over in his head. He didn’t want to get them wrong if he was asked later. 

He looked up when Kenna moved to introduce him to two new people that had come into the room and his jaw hit the floor and his eyes almost fell out of his head because this wasn’t possible. Stiles was standing here looking at Scott. Scott who he had grown up with. Scott who he had eaten mud with. Scott who had watched him fall out of a tree. Scott who had disappeared out of nowhere and everyone had assumed he was dead or worse. When he ran towards Stiles, he moved to take a step forward, but Derek was in front of him in an instant, his stance protective and aggressive. 

“Do you know him?” Kenna asked in a whisper under the sound of growls. 

“He’s my best friend,” Stiles answered, his voice laced with awe and confusion. His head snapped up when a woman spoke, her voice commanding attention though it wasn’t especially threatening. He watched as a beautiful woman walked towards him. Kenna hadn’t been kidding when she said that Derek’s family were all beautiful. Stiles could see it in her face, this woman was Derek’s mother. They had the same bone structure. 

“It’s lovely to meet you ma’am,” Stiles answered, mostly on instinct. His father had always taught him respect for his elders, and it didn’t even register that she was a werewolf and his father would definitely say that this could be an exception. However, that didn’t even occur to Stiles. Honestly, he was a lot more preoccupied with the fact that Scott was still standing off to the side. Talia shot a glance over to Scott where Stiles was looking and gave Stiles a smile. 

“I’m sure we’ll have plenty of time to talk, but it seems there is someone else you would rather speak to,” Talia said, her eyes kind. “But you two,” she said, turning to look at Derek and Scott in turn, “No more displays like that. This is family time.” She left the room with another smile at Stiles and Stiles gave her a distracted one in return as he looked over at Scott. He and Scott stared at each other for a good few seconds. He had the same goofy smile, the same crooked jaw, the same curly hair, and the same dark tanned skin. Without even realizing it, they both ran at each other again, slamming into a tight embrace. 

“Christ, man I thought you died,” Stiles said around the lump in his throat, tears stinging the corners of his eyes. 

Now that Derek knew that Scott had been Stiles' best friend before Scott was bitten and Stiles taken, Derek did feel marginally bad about growling at him. But their previous relationship only made Derek worry more. Maybe Stiles would want to stay wherever Scott was, which was with Laura since he was her pack and she was still training him since he was newly turned. Derek wouldn't deny him the option of staying with someone he obviously cared for even if the thought of being so far away from Stiles made his chest tighten and breathing become difficult. 

He muttered a quiet excuse and left the two friends to their reunion, needing some space and air. He'd known Stiles for all of forty-eight hours. He shouldn't be so damned attached to him. It was too dangerous. He'd only end up hurt. Maybe he was just destined to live the rest of his days on his own in his stupidly large house he used to hope would one day hold children and a pack, family. He put it all out of his mind though because he needed to put on a good face for his family even if they'd all see through it, though not the cause of his maudlin thoughts. For that he was grateful at least. 

Scott squeezed Stiles back but he was mindful of his strength. That had been one of the first things he'd discovered - his ability to break things without meaning to. People were the last things Scott wanted to break. 

"I wanted to come back," he admitted into Stiles' shoulder before pulling away to look at him. "It's a long story. We can talk about it later. What are you doing here though? And where's your dad? Why are you with Derek and why does he look at you like that? Dude is bad news, I think. No one will tell me much about him but he seems weird, Stiles. I don't want him to hurt you." He kept his voice pitched low enough for Stiles to hear though any werewolves within fifteen or so yards would probably be able to hear.

Stiles was still having trouble processing that Scott was actually standing in front of him. The entire camp had declared him dead. They had a funeral and everything, taking the time to bury an empty casket. It had been arguably the worst day of Stiles' life. There hadn't really been time to grieve, but there never really is for their lifestyle. They have to keep moving at all times. Stiles' father had given him sympathy, but he also had to make sure that his son was strong enough to survive and he didn't let Stiles stay sad for too long. 

He noticed that the room had emptied around them. All the little girls were gone, and Stiles was willing to bet that Kenna had something to do with that. Derek was gone too and Stiles resisted the urge to go look for him like he wanted to. He felt that strange pull once more but he firmly ignored it. Derek was still in the house somewhere and they would see each other soon enough. They would go home with each other. Stiles had plenty of time with Derek. 

"Mine is a bit of a long story too," Stiles said with a small laugh, "I got caught scouting. I gave off the signal in time, but the werewolves who got me sent me to an auction house. Derek had been there with Laura and he practically doubled my bid to keep some guy named Deucalion from getting me," Stiles smiled a little as he remembered, "I wasn't exactly grateful at first, but Derek, he's different. He's really nice and understanding and he tried really hard to make me feel welcome. Kenna helped too," Stiles was silent a moment before continuing, "I umm, I don't know where my dad is. I haven't seen him since I left for the scouting thing and I sent off the signal so they all packed up and moved. I have no clue where they went." Saying that really made Stiles realize that he truly did have no idea where his father was. Even if he got the supplies he needed, he would have no idea where to even start looking for his dad. Scott gave him a squeeze on the shoulder, able to see how emotional Stiles was about this. 

"Hey, what do you mean why is he looking at me like that?" Stiles asked, brows furrowed in confusion, "How is he looking at me?" He didn't think Derek was looking at him in any special kind of way and he had no idea what Scott was talking about.

Scott's eyes widened as he listened to Stiles' tale of how he ended up in Derek's care. Scott didn't actually hate Derek, not really, but he still wasn't quite sure what to make of the guy so he was falling back on old instincts not to trust werewolves - even if he was one himself now. 

"I was out with Leo looking for supplies you remember? We were taking a round about way back to the camp just to make sure, careful to use the hormone sprays to mask our scents. But somehow a rogue found us. I told Leo to run and he did and I was bitten. He wasn't even human or anything like we know werewolves to be, not like a real wolf. He was...he was mutated or something. Turns out the alpha that bit me was Derek's uncle. Derek showed up before Peter - the uncle - could complete the kill. He killed Peter in return when Peter wouldn't back down. It was pretty brutal," he explained with a heavy sigh, rubbing his side absently even though the wound had long since healed. “Derek brought me back here and left me with Laura, went off and built his place a long ways away and pretty must just kept to himself there." Scott shrugged and then eyed Stiles like he was crazy when asking about how Derek was supposed to have been looking at him.

"You know, he looks at you like...and the whole growling over protective stuff. I mean I've technically known the guy for a year or so but I don't know him that well, just well enough to know he doesn't go all growly over just anyone," Scott explained uncertainly and then draped his arm over Stiles' shoulder. "I'm pretty sure the dude's into you so you should probably be careful. Anyways, c'mon. I want you to meet Allison. She's like the most amazing person, Stiles, seriously. Her hair always smells like strawberries and limes and she's got the greatest smile. I think I'm gonna marry her probably." He trailed off with a dreamy sigh and dopey smile and tugged Stiles further into the house. 

Stiles allowed Scott to drag him away to meet this girl, Allison, but his mind wasn’t all there. Scott thought Derek was into him? Stiles had never really picked up on that but maybe Scott had a clearer view as an outsider. Stiles was pretty oblivious about himself anyway. He found himself wondering if Derek felt the strange pull that Stiles did. If this was a two-way thing then maybe they could do something about it. Wait, no they couldn’t. Stiles couldn’t get attached. At least, he thought that for a moment before he looked up at Scott again. This had been his best friend of how many years, he couldn’t even remember anymore. Could he really choose between Scott and his father? 

The next half hour was a whirlwind of introductions and shaking hands and pasted on smiles. Stiles just couldn’t focus. He hated to admit it, but he was pretty sure that he wasn’t going to remember at least half of the crowds of people that he had just met. He just couldn’t get himself to stop thinking about the moral question he had surprised himself with. Scott or his father? If he could think of a way to have both, he would do it without a second. And how would Derek factor into all of this. Stiles tried his hardest not to think about it, but he really was getting attached to Derek at an alarmingly fast rate. After Scott had declared that Stiles had met everyone, Stiles gave his friend a pat on the back and excused himself to go to the bathroom. 

Of course, there became a problem when Stiles couldn’t find the bathroom. Scott had given him instructions, but Stiles might have turned right instead of left. Or maybe it was left instead of right? Stiles had no idea. He was just wandering the hallways at this point, looking at the knickknacks and pictures on the wall. He wondered if he was on the right or left side of the house. Lazy thoughts like this ran through his head until he walked past what looked like a sitting room and saw someone inside. Stiles backtracked and looked again. He would know the back of that head with that set of shoulders anywhere. 

“Derek?” Stiles asked, taking a step into the room, a smile on his face, “Hey, I haven’t seen you in a while. Got lost on my way to the bathroom.” He gave an embarrassed shrug, looking around the room. It was nice, like all the others. 

Derek had allowed the little girls to pull him out into the backyard, greeting all his other nieces and nephews and various family members when he saw them. Stiles seemed to be a hit with everyone because they all seemed to like him a lot; Derek heard a lot of whispers about his possible relationship with Stiles and how protective Derek had gotten of him on their arrival. It made him grit his teeth and roll his shoulders because he really didn't want them thinking there was anything going on between himself and Stiles or even a chance. Sure, he'd caught just the barest trace of arousal on Stiles but he was a teenage boy. He probably got aroused over a work out commercial. It was nothing to do with Derek. 

Eventually he was just too overwhelmed and he needed some space to himself so he retreated upstairs to a sort of half office half reading room. There were big comfortable chairs and shelves of books and big windows. Derek liked being able to look out over the forest. He dragged an armchair towards the window and sat down, book in his lap though a familiar heartbeat distracted him. Really it shouldn't be familiar already but it was like the rhythm was singing right to Derek and begging him to notice it. It grew nearer, passed and then doubled back and Derek turned to look at Stiles. He took in that soft smile and sheepish expression and ridiculously attractive red suit. He longed to curl his fingers in the lapels and to pull Stiles close until it would be impossible to tell where one of them started at the other began. 

He cleared his throat a bit and tipped his head in acknowledgment, lips curling at the corners without his permission. "Two doors down, across the hall," he shared easily and shrugged. "I just needed to breathe for a bit. My family can be...overwhelming to say the least. I'm uh...I'm sorry about earlier. I overreacted. I wish I could promise that it won't happen again but I..." He trailed off and shrugged again, looking down at his hand, curling and uncurling his fingers into a fist. 

“Already forgotten,” Stiles said with a wave of his hand when Derek mentioned the small incident earlier. He didn’t even really see it as an incident. All Derek had known was that a werewolf had started running at Stiles. That was enough cause for alarm. Hell, Stiles had been slightly alarmed, though that had more to do with seeing his supposedly dead friend than the fact that said friend was a werewolf. It was admittedly surprising, but at the same time it seemed to make sense. “Your family is a bit…” he started, searching for the right words, “Numerous. I’ve never met so many people that were even vaguely related at once before.” Yes, some of them like Scott had been bitten, but a pack created a family tie and Stiles was going to count that as being related. He knew that the werewolves did. 

He suddenly forgot that he had come up here to go to the bathroom, choosing instead to come further into the room and closer to Derek. Stiles was still thinking about how Scott had said it seemed like Derek was into him. Despite the short amount of time that they had known each other, the thought felt right to Stiles, in the same way that a lot of things felt right with Derek. Proximity felt right, making him laugh or feel happy felt right, spending time together felt right, it all just felt right. Stiles knew there had to be an answer somewhere. He was going to try and read the rest of that book tonight before he had to move back into his own room. The thought made Stiles heart sink a bit. His own room was pretty far from Derek’s, and it was specially designed to keep the werewolf out. That felt wrong. 

Stiles stood next to Derek, looking out the window at all the people playing and talking in the backyard. They all looked so happy and carefree. He gave Derek’s shoulder a little nudge. “So have you had enough time to brood in your aloneness, or do you need more before returning to socialize?” he asked with a playful grin. He would prefer to stay close to Derek, having felt weird when he wasn’t around. 

Derek was grateful that Stiles had forgiven him so easily and seemed to understand why Derek had been so protective. Scott was still new at being a werewolf and Derek sometimes questioned his control, not because Scott was a bad guy but simply because he had struggled so much with it in the beginning. He couldn't risk anyone getting hurt. Especially Stiles. Whatever was going on between them - which Derek was still convinced was one sided on his part - made Derek want to protect Stiles at any cost, more so because of what had happened in the past. He nodded a bit when Stiles mentioned his family's size and his lips curled slightly upwards, shrugging his shoulder. "It's...definitely interesting at times. It can get tense but not often, despite our vast differences in personality we work well together, with each other," he answered and watched as Stiles came further into the room. 

In the short moment of comfortable silence they shared, Derek's mind got away from him. He imagined being allowed to reach out to Stiles, to lace their fingers together and smile. He imagined Stiles coming closer and pulling him into his lap, curling together on that big comfortable armchair. He imagined stealing soft kisses and whispering words into skin and hair, flipping through books and teaching Stiles everything that he could ever want to know. Stiles seemed so intelligent and he had a thirst for knowledge that Derek was drawn to because he had the same thirst. He was an architect, sure, but his library wasn't only filled with books on load bearing walls and support systems and work materials. They were filled with books on history and art and literature; fiction and nonfiction alike. He loved reading and Stiles seemed to love it just as much. He could imagine lying in bed at night, sharing a book or reading their own and then curling together when they were ready to sleep, speaking in soft whispered words through the dark about the things they had learned before falling asleep. He imagined helping Stiles finish high school and move onto something better; imagined sinking his fangs into the meat of his shoulder and the way Stiles' eyes would flash a rich warm gold. 

Stiles was speaking again and Derek came out of his thoughts with a snap, chastising himself silently for allowing that train of thought to even begin. Wanting Stiles like that would only end in more heartbreak for him in the end when Stiles found someone else, someone better who deserved him. He wanted to lean into Stiles' side right back when he bumped Derek's shoulder with his arm, to turn and press his face into the warmth of his ribs just for a moment. He didn't do any of that though, just looked up at Stiles from where he was seated and quirked his lips. "Are you offering to keep me company or trying to coax me back downstairs?" he asked and then glanced back out the window. "I would've assumed you'd still be with Scott," he added, glad that his voice didn't hold any of the jealousy that he was feeling. But maybe now that he'd found his old friend as a werewolf, Stiles wouldn't be so opposed to them.

“Scott is the same as he ever was,” Stiles said with a fond smile as he looked out the window, “Same crooked jaw, same goofy smile. He introduced me to everyone, and when he finally introduced me to Allison. Well, I might as well just not been there. Scott’s always fallen hard and fast for girls, but I’ve never seen him like this. He looked at her like… I don’t even know. Let’s just say that when you see the way Scott looks at Allison you think to yourself ‘Wow, I want to find someone who will look at me like that’. Pure love and devotion, but at the same time, he’s not disillusioned. It’s almost like the perfect love.” Stiles laughed a bit nervously when he realized that he had basically been waxing poetic about his best friend’s love life. “Wow, that actually sounds kind of stupid out loud, doesn’t it,” he chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck as his face turned pink. 

Still, every word he had said was true, and he knew that Derek would know it. Stiles would probably cut off an arm to experience that kind of love. It looked amazing. 

“Hey Stiles! Think fast!” Scott yelled from behind him. Stiles turned around and then everything seemed to happen in slow motion. He saw Scott in the doorway, a football clutched in his hands. Seconds later he was throwing it at Stiles’ head. Stiles, who was completely lacking in instinctual coordination, jerked away. His body took a step back, following the momentum of his head. The back of his knees hit the armchair where Derek was still sitting, though he was no longer alone. Stiles toppled directly into his lap, half falling off because of the way he landed. The football smacked into the wall and Scott doubled over laughing. 

“Oh yes, haha, very funny,” Stiles said dryly from his precarious position. 

“You never were good at that,” Scott mused with a smile. 

“Yeah and you weren’t either, Mr. Severe Asthmatic,” Stiles shot back.

“Well, lucky for me I’m a werewolf,” Scott said with a grin, “Sucks for you that you still can’t catch a ball.”

“I can catch plenty of balls!” Stiles protested, not realizing how that sounded until the words were out of his mouth. His face flushed pink as Scott laughed. 

“Well good, because we’re playing touch football and we need you and Derek to even up the numbers. No tackling since we were forced into nice clothes for the day,” Scott said, “Come on.” He retrieved the football, leaving the room after he did, trusting the two of them to follow. Stiles turned to look at Derek, a sheepish smile on his face. 

“Sorry for falling on you,” he apologized, “I’m not always the most coordinated, but you knew that.” They were actually really close together. Like really close. It reminded Stiles of a similar instance back at Derek’s house when he had walked face first into the man’s chest. This somehow seemed a lot more intimate. 

Derek could see the fondness in Stiles' expression and hear it in his voice as he spoke about Scott, could see the wistfulness in him that told Derek that Stiles wished that he had what Scott had with Allison. Derek knew it would happen for him eventually. Some young girl would come along and see Stiles how Derek saw him but she would be worthy of his affection, she'd be good enough for him, better for him than Derek could be. He swallowed thickly and shook his head, giving a shaky smile but not meeting Stiles' eyes exactly. "No uh, it doesn't. Scott and Allison are...special, I guess. Not everyone gets what they have," he answered, just before Scott burst in and tossed the football. 

The next few seconds passed in a blur but then Stiles was falling into his lap and Derek's arms came up to catch him and the next thing he knew, he was staring down at Stiles, faces close. Derek's heart sped up and his eyes dropped to Stiles' mouth and Scott was disappearing and then Stiles was turning to stare at Derek, to apologize. All Derek could think of was closing the distance between them and finally being allowed to kiss him. Before he could stop himself he was leaning forward very slowly but he caught himself when Stiles apologized and he pulled away, standing up carefully and putting Stiles back onto his feet. 

"Don't worry about it," he answered with a small shake of his head as he pushed fingers through his hair and glanced at the door. "We should probably get downstairs..."

“Umm, yeah we probably should,” Stiles agreed quickly, trying to pretend that he hadn’t been staring at Derek’s hand running through his hair and wishing that it could be his hands threading through the dark locks. His train of thought surprised him. He had been feeling weird pulls and urges to be close, yes, but this was a very specific and admittedly intimate thought. Platonic friends didn’t usually want to caress their friend’s hair. Stiles certainly didn’t want to do that to Scott. 

Stiles followed Derek out of the room, trailing behind him ever so slightly as they went downstairs. He could still feel the places where Derek’s arms had wrapped around him, where the warmth had seeped into his skin. It had seemed for a fraction of a second that Derek had been leaning towards him, but Stiles forced himself to brush it off. There was no way that he was going to do what Stiles was thinking. That was probably the last thing Derek would want to do with him. Derek kiss Stiles? No way. He was maybe just going to scent Stiles. Scott had done it earlier when he was introducing people to Stiles. Stiles had been admittedly caught off guard when his best friend stuck his face in his neck. Scott had been confused and had asked hadn’t Derek scented him. When Stiles had answered no, Scott had looked momentarily thrown before some kind of understanding had spread over his features and he said something about not scenting Allison in the beginning either. Before Stiles could ask what he meant, someone else had come over to meet him. 

“Took you guys long enough,” someone said. Stiles remembered his name was John. “Let’s get this game started. Talia, divide up the teams for us?”

Derek smiled as the game finished up, wiping his forehead a bit and rolling his shoulders. He'd ditched his jacket in favor of just wearing his button down and waistcoat with his tie. He moved towards Stiles and offered a smaller, private kind of smile, dusting off his blue shirt for him where there was a little bit of dirt. "That was fun. Usually we play baseball but every now and then my brother gets us to play football," he said, walking close to his side as they headed back inside. 

Stiles returned Derek's private smile, reaching up to pluck a random leaf out of his hair without thinking. Rather than making a big deal about it, he carried on as though it hadn't happened. "Fun? That was intense man," Stiles said with a laugh, "You guys get really competitive. Plus, it's really weird to watch Scott run without wheezing." He remembered how they always used to have to make medical runs so that Scott could always have an inhaler on hand. No one mentioned it, but they made a lot less runs since Scott 'died'. A woman who's name Stiles honest-to-god did not remember called everyone inside with demands that they wash up for dinner, which reminded Stiles that he never did make it to the bathroom.

Derek blushed a bit but shrugged. "Yea, they can get pretty competitive. I don't mind much either way who wins, I just like playing," he responded honestly as they headed inside, his Aunt Caroline calling everybody inside. People crowded into the kitchen and the downstairs restrooms to wash hands but Derek nudged Stiles' elbow and nodded towards the staircase. "C'mon," he said quietly, heading past everyone and heading upstairs since no one else seemed to have that idea. He headed down the long hallway and then pushed open a door, waving Stiles in first. "You didn't ever go to the restroom," he pointed out, wondering if it was creepy of him to remember that. "I can wash my hands in the other restroom and I'll meet you at the top of the stairs?" 

“Actually yeah that would be perfect,” Stiles said with a grateful smile, “Now that you mention it, I actually really have to piss.” He gave Derek a squeeze on the shoulder, for some reason unable to keep from touching him. He shut the door once he got inside and went about taking care of his business. When he was washing his hands, he couldn’t help but try and make himself more presentable. He got rid of the small smear of dirt on the side of his neck, he rinsed his mouth out, he fixed hair his where it had gotten flatten or mussed. When he was satisfied, he left the bathroom and waited for Derek. They descended the stairs together and were promptly ushered to the table. Talia sat them together and Stiles tried not to feel too happy about that. Due to the number of people at the table, all of the chairs were rather close together and similarly to when they had eaten out the day before, their thighs were pressed together. 

Derek washed his hands quickly in the other bathroom down the hall and once they were dried again he ran fingers through his hair. It was a bit messy but Kenna always told him it looked good that way so he figured why the hell not. He straightened his tie and waistcoat and then waited at the top of the stairs for Stiles, giving him a soft smile when he came into view. They walked close together down the steps and Aunt Caroline ushered them into the room where Talia pointed them to their seats, Derek beside his little sister, Cora and Stiles beside Kenna. Scott and Allison were seated across from them and Scott gave Derek a hesitant smile, which Derek returned even if it was a little bit forced. He had to remind himself that Scott and Stiles were only friends and Scott loved Allison and even if that weren't the case Derek had no claim to Stiles. He could easily choose to go live with Scott and Allison at Laura's house if he wanted to. Derek wouldn't stop him if it would make him happy. He'd just miss Stiles a hell of a lot. The younger members of Derek’s family served dinner, a tradition that they'd had for who knew how long. Anyone under fourteen always served the older ones first before they sat down themselves. It taught manners or something, Derek was never really clear on that. Eventually everyone was seated at the long table and Talia sat at the head, waiting until she had everyone's attention. She didn't even need to clear her throat or do anything except wait, such was the strength of raw power coming off of her. "I'd like to thank everyone for being here this afternoon. You know how I love getting us all together," she said with a lurid smile, looking around at them all. "I'd also like to welcome Stiles into our family. We're all thrilled to have you here." Derek glanced at Stiles with a languid smile of his own, reaching out before he thought about it to put his hand on Stiles' thigh just to emphasize his mother's claim that they were all happy to have him. 

Stiles blushed hotly, his face going bright red as he gave the rest of the table an embarrassed smile. He froze when he felt Derek’s hand slide onto his thigh. His blush spread down his neck and his entire body felt hot, but in a good way. Before he could over think it, Stiles moved his hand towards Derek’s. He hesitated, his hand shaking a bit nervously. After a second of a pause, Stiles forced himself to put his hand down over Derek’s. Scott’s words about Derek being into him flashed through his head and he gave Derek’s hand a small squeeze without thinking. He was so absorbed in what he was doing and the thoughts running through his head that he didn’t even hear the rest of Talia’s speech and didn’t notice the way that Kenna was side eying him. 

“Need some water there?” she murmured, “You look a little flushed.” Stiles snapped out of it and turned to glare playfully at her. 

“Oh haha,” Stiles whispered dryly, “Why don’t you try being put on the spot?”

“Ha,” Kenna scoffed, “This isn’t my first rodeo buddy.” All the while, Stiles still didn’t let go of Derek’s hand, afraid that if he did he would move it away. It was comforting in a weird way, Derek’s hand was large and warm and strong. Stiles tuned back into Talia’s speech just in time for her to say it was time to eat. He spent a moment trying to debate if he could get his food one handed when Kenna whisked his plate away, filling it herself. Stiles blushed a bit, realizing that she had to know what he was doing. With a sudden jolt he realized that every werewolf at the table would be able to hear his heartbeat. 

“You okay Stiles?” Scott asked, as if on cue, “Your heart’s beating really quick.”

“Yeah, well some of us are still pathetically out of shape and need more time to catch our breath,” Stiles shot back with a smile, slowly moving his hand away as though Scott would be able to see it too. 

Derek's heart started beating faster as well when he felt Stiles' hand cover his own but he was better and had more practice about controlling his heart rate so it wasn't hard to force it into something more normal though anyone who'd known him long enough would still be able to tell if they were close enough. Scott spoke up though and Stiles started to pull his hand back and Derek panicked. He didn't want Stiles to move his hand and before he could stop himself he was turning his hand over so their palms brushed, fingers tangling a bit. He didn't grab tightly, so that Stiles could still pull away if he wanted to, but he hoped he wouldn't, hoped Stiles would pause and hold Derek's hand tighter. It was so dumb and so middle school to get so worked up about holding hands. It was innocent enough. Cora liked to hold his hand when they went out together even though she was nineteen. Kenna held his hand sometimes too. It didn't have to mean anything. But it somehow meant something for Derek and he wondered if it would mean something to Stiles too.

His ears were bright red and he was scared to look over at Stiles so he reached his free hand out for his glass of water, taking a long gulp to cool himself off. It wasn't a big deal, really, it was just...hands. That wasn't a big deal right? Except it kind of was for Derek because he'd never wanted to or even actually held hands with someone that he actually wanted to kiss also. He used his left hand to serve his food, thanking whatever deity was out there for werewolf ambidexterity. 

Stiles stopped moving when Derek turned his hand over, as though he wanted them to continue holding hands. He hesitated, but Derek was offering right? It was probably just a werewolf comfort thing but it still made butterflies dance in his stomach when he entwined their fingers and held Derek’s hand a little tighter to keep them together. He was just glad that he was a righty. His father had been exactly the same. Stiles could feel that his neck was still bright red, but he really didn’t care. As so many other things with Derek, this felt good. It felt right. In fact, if it were possible, Stiles would get even closer. He was suddenly sucked into thoughts of being able to hold Derek’s hand all the time, being able to sit in his lap if he wanted, being able to kiss him. A nudge from Kenna brought Stiles back into reality. 

“I’m sorry, what?” he said with a sheepish smile and a pink face. 

“I asked how you liked living with Derek,” a man a few seats down across the table said, “He can be quite the sourpuss.” Stiles was quiet for a moment, finally remembering that the man’s name was Craig. 

“Well, I didn’t make it easy for him or Kenna,” Stiles said with a small chuckle, “But they both were extremely welcoming. Needless to say, I was surprised.”

“Surprised?” Craig echoed. 

“Umm… well,” Stiles said, suddenly feeling a bit awkward, “I wasn’t exactly raised with the… best image of werewolves. So, Derek kind of re-wrote my world.”

“Yes, we can tell you two are quite close,” Craig said with a waggle of his eyebrows.

“What?” Stiles asked, completely confused. 

Derek relaxed when Stiles gripped his hand tighter and he curled his fingers tightly back, smiling a bit into his first bite of food. He finally chanced a glance at Stiles and squeezed his fingers firmly. He wished he was allowed to sneak away with Stiles after dinner, to hide away in a bedroom or a closet or something and- He stopped that train of thought cold before anyone could smell something on him. As it was Cora was wrinkling her nose at him while she took a bite of her green beans. Derek blushed again but looked up when Stiles was talking to one of his relatives. Derek gave him a look and shook his head, still not letting go of Stiles though. 

"Leave Stiles alone," he sighed with a roll of his eyes, taking a bite of potatoes and then reaching for his water again. 

"Stiles," Deaton called, distracting away from the other conversation. He had a thoughtful expression on his face as he studied Stiles carefully. "I don't believe we met. I only just arrived while you all were playing. My name is Alan Deaton, Talia's emissary."

“Hi,” Stiles greeted with a nod and a smile, “As you apparently know, I’m Stiles, new human on the scene.”

“So it would seem,” Deaton said with a small chuckle, “How have you been finding the environment change?”

“It’s a lot to get used to, but I like to think I’m adjustable,” Stiles answered with a shrug.

“Yes, you seem to be,” Deaton said with a nod, “I’m sorry if this is invasive, but have you ever had any experience with magic of any kind?” Stiles was a little surprised by the question and he was sure that it showed on his face. 

“Nothing beyond hearing the same rumors as everyone else in the camp,” he answered honestly. He wasn’t sure why Deaton was asking, but maybe it was important. 

“I think it’s something you should look into,” Deaton said, eyes flickering over Stiles, “There’s something about you, but I believe you have the potential to become an emissary, and a good one at that.” Stiles was taken aback by that. He had heard of emissaries, powerful druids with the ability to repel werewolves and weaken them as well. 

“Well I never thought about it, but thank you,” Stiles said, unsure of what else he could say. The table dissolved into many different conversations, all light and happy and Stiles finally started to eat some of the food on his plate.

"I appear to have startled you," Deaton said with a soft amused chuckle as he shook his head. "Forgive me. There's something about you. You remind me of an old student of mine. You've got the same...spark about you. I can sense it even from here." 

"What does that mean?" Derek asked curiously, brows furrowed as he looked towards the man whom he'd grown up around. Deaton had always been quite cryptic when it came to anyone but Talia and Derek's father, Teddy. 

"Think of it as a fire," Deaton explained, taking a pause to sip from his water before continuing. "To start a fire you need a spark. For Stiles it simply means that he has the potential to be an emissary and with the right training and practice, his spark could turn into...an inferno. He could perform as your emissary, Derek. You don't have one of your own. Laura has one and of course I perform as your parents'." 

Derek's head was spinning. If Stiles chose to pursue that, to be trained and taught and took a place as Derek's emissary...he would be freed from his...for lack of a better word, slavery. He'd no longer be an object that Derek owned on paper but he would be free, his own person. That also meant he would be free to leave though, to choose to live alone or to work with another pack. And Derek was still terrified of losing Stiles. He remembered something though, something about Stiles' smell, and he leaned into Stiles compulsively, nose pressed against his pulse point as he closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. His brow was furrowed when he came away, mind whirring. 

"Ozone," he said at the same time as Deaton who nodded his head. Derek looked back at Stiles, fingers tightening without realizing it. "That's what was different but familiar about your smell. You smell like ozone." 

Stiles’ mind was running along with Deaton’s words, forming plans and ideas, traveling down twenty different scenarios at once. At least, it had been until he felt Derek move closer to him. All brain function immediately stopped when he felt Derek’s nose lightly pressing against his neck, the barest hint of stubble scratching his skin. Stiles didn’t even think he was breathing, though it wasn’t out of fear. No, what he was feeling most definitely was not fear. If they hadn’t been at a family dinner, Stiles suddenly wondered how he would have reacted because all he wanted to do know was tip his head back and wrap his arms around Derek’s neck. For obvious reasons, he didn’t do that. Derek pulled away moments later, and Stiles was able to resume functioning like a normal human being. Sort of. His skin still felt warm from where Derek had been so close to him. 

“Being an emissary,” Stiles began, forcing himself to ignore whatever the hell his body was doing, “That would give me freedom, wouldn’t it?” As kind as Derek and Kenna have been, Stiles was still property. Anywhere he went, he still belonged to Derek on paper. 

“Yes, that does free you from the constraints on humans in our current society,” Deaton confirmed, a somewhat grim look on his face. Of course, Stiles would probably have a similar look on his face when talking about a species forced into slavery. 

“How long would training like that take?” Stiles asked next, thinking of his father. He still wanted to get back to him somehow, and being an emissary would make it immensely easier to travel to try and find him. He wouldn’t have to worry about being caught, provided that he had proof he was with a certain pack. 

“That depends on the student and the teacher,” Deaton said with a small smile on his face, as though he knew something that everyone else didn’t. It was a little unnerving, but he still seemed like a nice guy. 

“I mean, it’s a decision I’d have to think about, but I’ll definitely think about it,” Stiles finally said after a moment of silence. He wouldn’t decide that he wanted to be an emissary in one night. Part of him wanted to talk it over with Kenna and Derek and get their opinions. 

When Stiles asked Deaton about being freed if he were an emissary Derek's chest tightened a bit, looking down at his plate and taking a bite of food. His hand around Stiles loosened slightly but he didn't pull away, was simply giving Stiles the option of pulling away. He had the means of freeing himself. Deaton could teach and train him, build him into something amazing just like Derek always thought he should be, thought he deserved. He wasn't upset about Stiles gaining his freedom or becoming an emissary, he was just upset that it would make it easier for Stiles to leave. Derek couldn't hold him there anymore. He hadn't thought he was happy owning Stiles particularly but what if he was? What if it made him feel better to know that he had some sort of hold on him? God, he was a terrible person. He wanted Stiles to be free, he did. What he didn't want was to lose him. Maybe he could offer to help Stiles find his father and bring him into his home, give him a place with them. Would that make Stiles want to stay? Would Stiles even want to stay if he got his father back or would he run away like Derek was scared of? 

Derek cleared his throat a bit and drank from his glass before looking over at Stiles, trying to be supportive. "It's your decision, Stiles. There would always be a place here for you if you wanted to stay but I wouldn't force you here either," he said gently, shrugging a little bit. He wanted to say that he wanted Stiles to stay, hoped that he would choose to stay even if he was freed. Derek would do anything probably and that thought was scary. He could talk to Stiles about it later though. 

"Don't leave us," Kenna begged, having no such qualms with putting herself out there wholly and completely. She was already dating someone so she didn't have the same inhibitions that Derek did. She leaned over to put her head on Stiles' shoulder, lower lip jutting out just slightly as she pouted at him. "You could be Derek's emissary. Right Derek?" 

Derek looked at Kenna and then at Stiles before nodding, tightening his fingers slightly again. "If that's what Stiles wanted, of course," he replied earnestly. 

Stiles had felt Derek loosen his hold the moment he asked about being freed, but he didn’t pull away. He didn’t want to and that was a hard thing to admit to himself. There was so much about this situation that was strange, but Stiles just held onto Derek’s hand tightly, shrugging off Kenna’s head with a smile. 

“Quit it with all the serious conversation,” he joked, “You’re throwing off my digestion.” He knew that he would have to make a decision about it, but he would rather wait until later in a more private setting. For now, he just held Derek’s hand tightly under the table. 

“Oh yeah, because you have such a delicate stomach,” Scott snorted from across the table. 

“Keep talking and I’ll tell everyone how you cried when you caught your first fish because you didn’t know it would die,” Stiles shot back, a pretend surprised look on his face as though he didn’t realize that saying that would reveal it, “Whoops.” Scott glared at him, but a smile tugged at the corners of his lips. 

“What, you mean like the time you got caught in your own snare and managed to get so tangled that you pulled off your own pants?” Scott answered with a grin. 

“And you should all feel grateful to have gotten a peek a Mini Me,” Stiles said with a sniff. 

“Yeah, ‘Mini’ is right,” Scott laughed. 

“Trust me, I’ve grown in all the right places since we measured in the sandbox,” Stiles countered. 

“Alright, now you two are putting me off my dinner,” Kenna said with a grimace. 

“We could talk about Scott’s first experience with a girl instead,” Stiles suggested, “Now that is a story to tell.”

“Don’t you dare,” Scott said slowly from the other side of the table. Stiles opened his mouth dramatically, as though he was going to start speaking when Kenna shoved a forkful of potatoes inside instead. 

“No bloodshed at the table please,” she said with a falsely sweet smile. Stiles just grinned at her and ate his food. He turned to Derek then, giving him a small smile and a nudge, just to make sure he wasn’t feeling left out or lonely.

Derek looked away again when Stiles dismissed the subject, not wanting to talk about it. It didn't make Derek feel any better because Stiles hadn't actually said he wanted to stay, it made him nervous and antsy. It made him want to offer Stiles the world if it meant he would stay. And the fact that Derek would go to such extremes to get Stiles to stay scared him after all of the seriously flawed and failed relationship shit he'd gone through.

He went back to eating his food quietly, smiling a bit at Scott and Stiles' bickering back and forth. He almost choked when the subject of Stiles' dick came up but they started talking about something else quickly before Derek could get too...excited about it. He looked up when Stiles nudged him and he couldn't help but return the small smile he was given, even if he was still scared and worried of losing the person smiling at him. He wondered what he would have to do to get Stiles to stay. 

"Derek?" Talia called and Derek looked away from Stiles, back to his mother a few seats away. "I wondered if you might help me with something in the kitchen very quickly." 

"Uh, yea sure, mom," he agreed with a nod, reluctant to let go of Stiles' hand. He squeezed his fingers though and pulled away sadly, standing up and setting his napkin on the table before following his mother into the kitchen, away from the others. "What is it?" he asked once they were alone.

Talia took a deep breath and squinted her eyes at Derek, arms crossed loosely over her midsection just for something to do with them. "I see the way you look at Stiles," she said and held up a hand to halt Derek's protest. "I also see the way he looks at you. It's...very much the same." Derek stared, uncomprehending, unsure what to say. "Have you ever heard of soul sharing?" Derek swallowed and shook his head, shifting a bit uncomfortably on his feet. "Look into it, Derek, in the family book. I think you'll find it...enlightening." She tugged Derek down by his ears to kiss his forehead and then smiled. "You'll find a way to keep him, Derek. You can't keep being paralyzed by the past." 

Stiles carried on at the table after Derek left as though nothing had changed. He carried on as though his heart hadn’t dropped slightly and as though his hand didn’t feel like ice without Derek’s warmth wrapped around it. He continued to eat and joke with Kenna and Scott, even dragging Allison into the conversation, who wanted to know about Scott from when he was younger. Stiles told the stories, but he still managed to get a bit preoccupied in his own head. Stupid things, like wondering if he and Derek would resume holding hands when the older man returned. Stiles tried not to think too hard on it and focused on the people around him instead. He was going to have a huge problem if he couldn’t think about anything but Derek. 

Taking Derek out of the equation, his mind wandered to Deaton instead as he slowly retracted himself from the conversation. He still listened and smiled at the right times as he ate, but it was clear that he was really somewhere else. Should he become an emissary? It would give him the freedom to find his father, but at the same time, his current situation gave him an excuse not to leave. Stiles felt horrible for even thinking that, but it was one of the only things that should really hold him back at all. If he were to become and emissary and gain that freedom, he should technically have no reason to stay behind and not go looking for his father. However, even the thought of leaving Derek made Stiles stomach clench. The thought of leaving Kenna made his stomach sink. Both of which were feelings that Stiles didn’t really want to have on a full stomach. Maybe he should try learning a bit more about what emissaries really were. At this point, as nice as everyone was, Stiles just kind of wanted to go home, read, and sleep. Of course, when he went home was completely dependent on Derek and Kenna. 

Home. He was doing it again. Calling Derek’s house his home. Did he really feel that comfortable after such a short period of time? Stiles barely even had to think about it to discover that the answer was yes. He loved everything about the house, but it was the people that made him feel welcome, that made it feel like home. If Stiles could be sure that his father wouldn’t completely reject the idea or betray their location, he would do everything he could to bring him to live with them in Derek’s home. If he allowed it of course. Stiles’ train of thought continued as dinner progressed. 

Derek stayed in the kitchen for a few minutes even after his mother left, just needing the space to collect his thoughts and just breathe. Was it possible that there was something more between himself and Stiles? Something more than simple attraction? And if there was then was it felt on both sides? How much of it was voluntary and how much is it taking away free will? Derek was not a fan of taking away anyone's free will. Especially if it came to having feelings for him. No one deserved that. Stiles especially deserved much more than Derek. 

He composed himself though and went back out into the dining room, shaking his head just barely enough for Scott to notice when Scott gave him a curious look. He knew Scott had been listening in but Derek was too afraid to say anything to Stiles just yet in case it was wrong and all just one sided on Derek's part. He wanted to be certain. Derek smiled a bit at Stiles when he sat back down and hesitated before figuring what the hell and reaching out to put his hand on Stiles' thigh again in invitation, wanting to rekindle that physical connection between them. 

Stiles smiled at Derek when he came back in, but he could sense that something was off. He wanted to question it, but he figured that somewhere more private would be better. It was probably nothing, but Stiles didn’t want to make unnecessary drama in a house full of werewolves. His heart skipped a beat when Derek’s hand slipped onto his thigh, just like the first time. Stiles smiled to himself, hiding it behind a large mouthful of potatoes as he slid his hand underneath Derek’s to entwine their fingers just like before. It felt good. 

The rest of dinner was a pleasant affair. Derek’s family was more than welcoming to him, each of them engaging him in pleasant conversation at least once. Scott was intent on catching up on everything that was appropriate for the table and Stiles complied, trading stories of being with the encampment and Scott being with the pack. It was incredibly interesting to hear about the dynamics and Scott was interested in how everyone he had left behind was doing. Eventually all the plates had been cleaned and there was no more food left to be eaten. The youngest at the table got up again and began to clear everything away. Stiles felt bad and wanted to help, but he didn’t want to let go of Derek’s hand. 

“Living room for dessert everyone,” Talia announced with a smile. Well, there goes that. Stiles gave Derek’s hand one last squeeze before standing, his hand feeling cold as soon as he let go. 

Derek was reluctant to let go of Stiles' hand but he knew that keeping hold of it in front of his family would raise questions and assumptions that he wasn't certain Stiles wanted. So he allowed Stiles to pull their hands apart as they stood, heading through the kitchen to claim their dessert. Somehow between Derek leaving the kitchen and coming back everything had been set out and there were hot mugs of coffee, hot chocolate, and hot tea to choose from. Derek took a bowl of delicious apple cobbler with vanilla ice cream on top and a mug of hot tea before moving in close to Stiles. 

"I want to show you something. If you follow me," he whispered quietly, giving a small smile and hoping Stiles would choose to come. "Kenna will meet us there. She always does eventually."

Stiles smiled when Derek came up to him, his own hands full with a plate covered in brownies and cookies and a cup of hot chocolate with whipped cream. He felt a little weird about leaving everyone, unsure if that was actually allowed, but he figured that everyone had heard Derek ask and no one had said they couldn’t, so it was probably alright. Scott was looking at them a bit strangely, but Scott looked at a lot of things strangely so Stiles didn’t think too much of it. 

“Yeah, sure let’s go,” he said with a smile. He hoped wherever they were going he would get to eat his dessert. Even to a human nose, it all smelled delicious and Stiles was a little jealous about what it must smell like to Derek. It must be positively divine. He turned a little towards the door, ready to follow Derek out when he was directed. He tried to keep his brain from venturing down paths with various sexy scenarios, but he wasn’t entirely successful. He at least managed to push them to the back of his head. 

Derek was glad that Stiles agreed to go with him. Derek needed some space from his family just for a little while because he knew that as soon as the girls got a chance they'd be demanding that he play with them. He didn't want to leave Stiles alone with his family though either. He led the way to a side entrance and they slipped out of the house easily, Derek heading for the encroaching forest. There didn't seem to really be a trail per se but where Derek headed into the tree line there was a path that had been worn in just enough to be barely noticeable. 

"It's not too far I promise," Derek said, pausing anytime something hindered their path to make sure Stiles could get through - holding aside branches and offering his hand to step over a fallen tree. Eventually Derek took a sharp left and ten steps in he passed through a curtain of ferns and held them aside for Stiles.


	7. Chapter 7

Beyond the ferns lay a large, beautiful round clearing. A shallow but clear bubbling stream fed in from the far left side and emptied into a beautiful little pond. There was a makeshift dock that jutted precariously into the water and a hand-built bridge that went over the wide but shallow stream. Tall green grass swayed in a quiet dance in the soft breeze and bright yellow and white oxeye daisies and purple tipped yellow Indian paintbrushes and blue forget-me-nots and red poppies and green clovers painted the ground with splotches of bright color. 

"This is where I taught my brother Elliot and my sister Cora how to swim, where Laura taught me and Joshua taught her," Derek explained with a little smile, the scent of the flowers strong enough that Stiles might even be able to smell them. "I thought you might like to see it and maybe get a bit of space?"

Stiles had a little trouble following Derek at first, what with all the food he was carrying in his hands, but the werewolf made it easy for him as he helped him over rough patches. Stiles had not been prepared for a hike through the woods, but he was sure that wherever he was going, it would be worth it if Derek was willing to take him there. He was definitely right when they finally emerged into a beautiful clearing. Stiles was gob smacked, looking around with wonder. This place was literally in Derek’s backyard. That was insane to him. 

“Derek, this is freaking gorgeous,” Stiles said, an awed smile on his face. He walked slowly through the clearing, taking everything in as he moved to place his food and things down on the little dock in the pond. He thought for a moment before tugging off his nice shoes and socks and carefully rolling up his bright red pants. He walked over to the small bridge and sat on the edge to dangle his feet in the stream. “I can’t believe you grew up in a place like this,” Stiles said with a sigh, kicking the water to make it ripple. 

Stiles turned to look at Derek, the light of the moon making him almost glow, and again he felt that pull to be close. He was definitely going to be reading the rest of that book tonight. He had a feeling that everything happening here wasn’t entirely natural. Maybe natural wasn’t the right word. It could be natural for all Stiles knew, but it wasn’t a common reaction to someone else at the very least. Stiles had had crushes and been in love before, but he had never felt an instinctual pull towards another person like he did with Derek. Stiles leaned back on his hands, turning his face towards the sky as he closed his eyes and gently kicked his feet in the water. 

“This is nice,” he murmured. It kind of made him feel sleepy, it was so relaxing. 

Derek smiled as Stiles looked around with an awed expression in his gaze. He wanted to be able to give him that every day if he could. He wanted to show Stiles that even though the world sucked right now, there were still good things that could be enjoyed, things like this.

He sat his food with Stiles and then watched him take off his shoes. Derek just looked at him when he sat down and then took a deep breath after a moment, following Stiles' lead. He left their shoes together before going to join him, toes jutting into the cool water of the stream and making goose flesh appear on Derek's skin. He smiled a bit and then took a deep breath again, looking at Stiles.

"Listen," he said quietly now that they had privacy. "About what Deaton said? I'll support whatever decision you make, whether or not you agree to be trained. If you do want to become an emissary then I'll file the paperwork right away as soon as you start your training and you'll be given your freedom after Deaton proves your abilities. I want you to know, too that... There's a place for you here, always. I'd...God this is insane," he muttered, shaking his head and looking away, glaring at the tree line. "I'd do anything to get you to stay is what I'm trying to say. I'll help you get your father back, anyone you want, anything you want, just name it. My mother told me as a kid to just ask for the things I want instead of hoping to get them or hoping it'll happen. So this is me... asking you not to leave but... understanding if you want to." He was red by the time he finished and mostly regretting it but what was done was done and he couldn't pluck the words from the air and shove them back down like they'd never been said so he just braced himself for Stiles' reaction. 

Stiles had been idly flicking the water to fill the silence when Derek began to speak and he became more and more surprised with each word that came out of the werewolf’s mouth until his jaw finally hit the ground, eyes wide as he stared at a Derek who was resolutely looking away. Did he mean it? Was he serious? Did he honestly want Stiles to stay bad enough to be willing to truly do anything he asked? Stiles had no idea that Derek believed him to be worth it in that way. It got him thinking about the way that he had gotten so quickly attached to Derek and something just sort of clicked. Well, not ‘clicked’ necessarily, but Stiles caught the similarities. Maybe Scott had been right. Maybe this weird pull, this strange attraction, wasn’t as one-sided as Stiles had previously thought. Of course, that was a worry for another time. Stiles had no idea how long he’d been silent, but he was pretty sure that Derek was on his way to having some kind of brain aneurism. 

“I still don’t know about being an emissary,” Stiles said honestly, “There’s a lot of actual responsibility that comes with that, and I don’t really have the best track record. I mean, all that stuff would be wicked cool to learn about and imagine how badass I would be, but yeah, I still wanted to think a little more about that.” He was silent for a moment, thinking more towards everything else Derek had said which was far more pressing than Stiles becoming an emissary. 

“As for leaving,” Stiles began slowly, “I’ll admit, when I first heard your bid and knew it was over for me, that was the first thing I thought of. Escape plans, how I was going to get away, how quickly I would manage to do it, what I would need for optimal survival. The first time I met you, and you told them to treat me with respect, I figured that escaping would literally be the easiest thing I could ever do. Then… then it got harder. I met Kenna and she was amazing and fun, and then I really got to know you, Derek, and I… it just got harder to think about leaving because I actually liked you guys. And I feel guilty about that. I feel so horribly guilty for not hating you and for not plotting to kill you in your sleep and for not trying harder to get back to my father. What would he think of what I’ve become? Putting on a suit to play touch football on a sunny Saturday with a bunch of werewolves? I just… before I met you, the world was black and white. Werewolves were bad, and humans were good, and my father was my priority. But then you came around with your shades of gray and you made everything blurry and I couldn’t tell where the lines were anymore. I still can’t. What… what I’m really trying to say is that I don’t think you have to worry about me leaving. I’m too selfish to leave.” Stiles seriously just spilled his guts everywhere. ‘Go hard or go home’ was the first thing that popped into his head and he almost scowled at himself, but he was too busy worrying that he’d said too much. 

Derek understood Stiles' reservations about being an emissary because Stiles was right. It was a lot of responsibility and he was only sixteen years old. Derek wouldn't mind if he decided to wait a few years. He'd do whatever made Stiles happy. "You don't have to be an emissary now. The training can take years but you can still gain your freedom before you're fully trained, it's just a probationary sort of thing. If you stop training for whatever reason then you'll be out back into the system as human property," he said, making a face at that. 

Stiles went on and the more he talked, the more and more dread built in Derek's stomach. Stiles wished that he hated Derek, wished that he wanted to kill him. Even if he wouldn't Stiles still wanted to want that. Despair was settling in like a long lost friend, feeling like he was losing Stiles already. But then Stiles told him that he was too selfish to leave and Derek turned his head to look at Stiles, eyes hesitant and uncertain. 

"I'll get him back for you if that's what you want. I'll get your father back for you. And if he hates Kenna and me, wants nothing to do with us then I'll… I'll build him a home away from mine and you can live there and I'll never bother him or you if that's what he wants or what you want. I just want you to be safe and the only way I can think to keep you safe is to keep you with me. It's the lesser of the evils at least," he said, the words falling out without his conscious permission. He'd promise Stiles the moon if he wanted it, honestly, and try to keep that promise. He looked down and cautiously reached out, nudging his fingers underneath Stiles' palm in an effort to hold his hand again, staring down at them. "You just have to let me keep you safe," he added quietly, not looking up. 

Stiles was silent for a long time after Derek finished speaking before he finally shifted his hand just so, so that he could hold Derek’s hand tightly in his own. This was different than at the dinner table. This was completely private between the two of them as they more or less poured out their souls to each other and it was intense and scary and Stiles just needed something that he could focus on, something to anchor him down. 

“That’s not what I want,” he finally murmured quietly, so quietly that if Derek wasn’t a werewolf, he probably wouldn’t have heard, “Living in a house far away from you and Kenna? That’s… that’s the last thing I want.” Stiles scooted closer, ever so slightly, wanting to get more points of connection between them but not having the courage to actually do it. He knew he shouldn’t question what was happening, but he couldn’t help himself. “It hurts,” Stiles went on to say, trying hard to verbalize the tumultuous feelings swirling inside him, “I think about leaving you, and it hurts. Hell, I think about not seeing you for a day and it hurts and that… that scares me Derek. I should hate you, I should want to leave, but I don’t. Everything I’ve been taught for my whole life says that I shouldn’t be happy here, but I am. I love my father, but at the risk of him trying to take me away if he came here and met you… I’m not so sure I want him here because I want to stay.” Stiles shut up then, feeling like he had said way too much and that it was someone else’s turn to bare their souls. 

“What did you mean,” Stiles asked, “When you said that you have to keep me safe? I mean, I survived how many years out there before I met you, and I was pretty safe. Why do you need to make sure I’m safe?” He was fishing. Stiles was fishing for answers so that he could try and piece this thing together and see just how much of this they were both feeling. 

The more Stiles talked, the more shocked Derek became and he turned his head to stare at the younger man with disbelief in his eyes. When Stiles finally finished after asking Derek what he'd meant when he said he needed to keep Stiles safe, Derek couldn't focus on the words just yet. He was too focused on the part where Stiles said he would choose Derek and Kenna over his own father. This definitely didn't seem like it was altogether natural. It seemed very supernatural and if it was then how much of it was their own choice and how much of it was just taking another choice away from them? Derek wasn't really fond of not having a choice in the matter and Stiles already had enough freedoms taken away from him he shouldn't have the freedom to choose who he loves taken away from him too. 

He swallowed thickly and then Stiles' question finally came to the forefront of his mind again and he made himself focus on that instead. Since Stiles had been completely and utterly honest, Derek figured it was his turn to return the favor. He opened and closed his mouth, obviously having trouble finding the words to explain. He made a noise of frustration and looked away, taking a deep breath and clearing his mind. It was much easier to gather his thoughts when Stiles wasn't mesmerizing him with bright lips and amber eyes. 

"Every time I think about how you were out there on your own… it terrifies me. I can't help but think about all the things that could've happened that would've gotten you killed and then...I'd never have met you. The thought that your existence will one day...end," Derek shook his head and his claws lengthened without his permission. He examined them and then glared at his hands in concentration until they were blunt and human again. "Now that you're here and now that I have the ability to protect you, I'll do everything I can to do just that. There are...Deucalion would do anything just to get underneath my skin. I don't know why but he's made it his mission to destroy every good thing I have. I can't watch him destroy you too. If I lose you...I don't-I'm not sure what would happen to me. It terrifies me that every time I find myself thinking about the future you're always right there in it with me, next to me, filling...whatever role you want. I've never wanted to be around anyone as much as I want to be around you. I liked when you slept in my bed because you woke up smelling like me and it was right, like something inside my chest settled and told him this was good. You're... intriguing to say the least and I want to give you everything, anything that you want if it means you'll stay." 

By the time he finished he was glaring at the water rushing by and his whole face and ears were flaming red all the way down his neck. His heart rate was rapid and his breathing sped up as well, bracing himself for a negative reaction from Stiles. He wasn't quite sure what to expect, honestly. 

‘It was right. It was right. It was right.’ Those three words resonated over and over in Stiles’ head because they were the exact words that he himself thought when it came to a lot of things concerning Derek. Being together felt right, walking together felt right, painting together, eating together, walking, talking, sleeping together. It all felt right. Could this really possibly be more than some strange one-sided thing? It couldn’t be. Stiles wanted to ask, but there was no way he was going to reveal something like that, even though the question was burning on the tip of his tongue. 

“Can you feel it too then?” Stiles blurted out suddenly, his eyes widening when he realized that he had actually spoken out loud. That was supposed to be a thought that he kept to himself, but apparently his mind had seen fit to just let the entire world know what was going on inside his head. It was too late to take it back now, so there was nothing left for Stiles to do but explain himself. “It’s just… umm… when I’m around you I feel this… this pull, I guess? Just this weird feeling in the center of my chest that tells me I should be closer to you or that I should be making you happy and stuff like that. And then when I actually do the thing, something weird just settles in my chest like all is right with the world, like you said, it’s just right. It’s… instinctual. I mean, it’s really just a feeling, nothing more. It’s not like I’m compelled to cling to you like an octopus, because clearly I haven’t done that, but I just… I don’t know. It’s stupid. You know what? Forget I said anything. Let’s just pretend I didn’t mention it, and that will be that.” Stiles’ cheeks were burning with embarrassment and he hated how his mouth could run away from him like that. It constantly got him into trouble, but this was far worse than any other situation he could think of. This was intense and intimate and scary, and Stiles would much rather be mouthing off to someone and getting his ass beat. 

Stiles turned his face away from Derek’s, looking down the opposite end of the dock to hide his blushing face. He was honestly afraid of what the werewolf was going to say. It was entirely possible that Stiles had just ruined whatever weird precarious relationship they had had between them. He had never had someone that could get under his skin as quickly as Derek had. It was crazy, and Stiles really didn’t know what to think except that he wanted to run. He was a much bigger fan of ignoring a problem until it eventually went away, rather than facing it head-on like this. How was he even supposed to look at the other man now that Derek knew he was having weird pulls and urges? Stiles could only be grateful that he hadn’t used the second word. That would have made it sound a lot more sexual, and though his thoughts had gone there more than once, that was definitely something he was going to keep to himself. 

Derek could hardly believe what Stiles was saying to him because that was exactly what he kept feeling only he'd just associated it with being a werewolf and being attracted to Stiles though he should have known better because it went so far past being physically attracted to him. It was being emotionally attached to him, wanting to make him happy, wanting to protect him and feed him and heal him and take care of him right from the beginning. Derek had always been a compassionate guy, that's what his mother always said, but this had gone beyond that and he couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before. He was positively shocked and awed that it wasn't just his wolf wanting Stiles, it was Stiles wanting him back in the exact same way almost like...a soul bond. 

"Soul bond," Derek whispered to himself, eyes wide and in awe as he repeated the words his mother had spoken to him in the kitchen. Apparently she didn't need to be one half of the party to see what was going on. She could just tell. Maybe it was part of being an alpha but...then Derek should have seen it too. Maybe because she was more powerful. "Stiles," he said quietly, squeezing Stiles' hand and waiting until he looked back. "It's not just you. I thought it was just my wolf, I thought it was instincts to protect you but it's...more than that. I think."

Stiles could barely hear Derek whisper something, but he couldn’t actually make out what he said, so he kept his face turned away, willing his blush to die down. It wasn’t until Derek said his name, a gentle plea to turn around, that he actually looked back at the werewolf. His brows furrowed as he listened to Derek speak. Though he was admittedly glad that he wasn’t sitting here embarrassing himself and that it was actually mutual, there was just something weird. 

“You’re talking like you know what this is,” Stiles said slowly, looking at Derek with an almost accusing expression. He had been struggling over this for days, had spent hours staring at books and it was possible that Derek had been sitting here with all the knowledge he needed the entire time. If that was indeed the case, Stiles was going to be angry. Well, not really super angry, but just irritated that he had wasted his time when he could have been researching other things. His mind had gotten so caught up in the fact that Derek might know what was happening between them that he momentarily forgot that it was happening between them. As in, they were both experiencing these feelings. Stiles found himself wondering if they were experiencing all the same feelings or just the emotional ones. He tried to remind himself that it wasn’t really all that important, but his libido begged to differ. 

Derek shook his head and squeezed Stiles' fingers, seeing the flash of irritation and accusation in his eyes like Derek had known all along and didn't share with the class. "I didn't. I don't," he said quickly, wanting Stiles to believe him; that he was learning all of this just like Stiles was. "Not really. My- when I went into the kitchen with my mother she didn't really give me much information but she mentioned you and I and...she told me to check my old family book, to read on soul bonds and soul sharing. I don't really know what that means. I honestly just thought it was me. I'm as shocked to find out about this as you are." 

He took a deep breath and then looked down at their hands, rubbing the pad of his thumb over Stiles' wrist for a minute before pulling it up to his nose to smell. Stiles smiled like home and pack and safety and Derek's sheets and shampoo and himself and Derek wanted to roll around in it, in him. "You have no idea how you smell to me," he mumbled, a low nearly sub-vocal rumble - almost a purr if werewolves could purr - rolling through his chest. His voice was kind of far off like Stiles' scent was a drug and he was an addict. He wasn't so far gone to know boundaries though. Just because they might be magically bonded or something didn't mean Stiles would give him a blank check to rub all over him like Derek wanted. They needed to tread carefully. 

Stiles felt like the term ‘soul bonds’ was vaguely familiar, but he couldn’t be sure. It was certainly something that he had never heard of for sure and sounded a little too fairytale to be true. He opened his mouth to say this when Derek lifted his hand to his nose and spoke with a voice that was downright low and enticing, making Stiles promptly choke on his words, face flushing pink against his will. Damn capillaries. 

“You know, you never scented me,” Stiles blurted out without thinking. Apparently, the first thing that had popped into his head had seen fit to also pop out of his mouth. He remembered how Derek had pressed his face into Stiles neck right at the dinner table when Deaton had mentioned him being an emissary and Stiles felt butterflies dancing around in his stomach. Could he really smell so much different to Derek compared to how he smelled to other werewolves? It was an interesting concept, and Stiles couldn’t help it when he got a bit distracted, thinking about various ways he could find out the effects of emotional attachment on scent and possibly enlisting Scott’s help. Of course, that brought him back to the fact that that meant Derek might have some kind of emotional, magical, soul bonding attachment to him and he turned to look at the werewolf, not really sure what he should be saying in this situation since he had already made a fool of himself. Still, that pull in his chest was telling him that Derek scenting him was probably the best idea ever. 

Derek's eyes snapped up to Stiles' and he dropped their hands back to Stiles' thigh. Stiles was...pretty much inviting Derek to scent him wasn't he? It sounded like he was and Derek definitely wanted to get all up on that and make sure Stiles wouldn't smell like anyone else but him. It was everything he wanted but was that really what Stiles wanted? He needed to be absolutely certain. 

"Are you- do you want me to? Scent you, I mean?" he asked just to make sure, not wanting to step over lines or break boundaries or push where he wasn't welcome. He wanted Stiles to want it as much as he did or at least at all. Stiles needed to be completely sure because once Derek started he didn't know if he'd be able to stop until he was satisfied. He wanted to offer to wait until they were at home but he might push too far too fast if he didn't have anything to hold him back from taking what he wanted and he knew he had to be careful so he wouldn't screw this up. 

Stiles was a little bit nervous, though he didn’t know why, and he was sure that his heartbeat reflected that. He felt like a preteen asking their crush if they could kiss them goodnight or something, and he was pretty sure that he would be the girl in this situation if his heart was anything to go by. And also his palms that were beginning to sweat slightly. In all honesty, he wasn’t exactly sure what scenting entailed, but Derek almost seemed to light up at the idea and Stiles was admittedly curious. Besides, it’s not like he was asking Derek to screw him. There was really nothing for Stiles to be nervous about, especially not out in the open on a dock like they were. 

“Yeah,” Stiles finally answered, proud of himself for keeping his voice steady and not letting it betray his petty nerves, “Yeah, I want you to scent me.” He figured that being as blunt and straightforward as possible would work better for the two of them, despite the fact that it made his palms sweat even more, which was really gross and he was starting to feel self conscious about holding Derek’s hand now. 

Derek was fairly certain he'd never heard such wonderful words spoken. He met Stiles' gaze just to make sure but then didn't waste any time pushing into Stiles' space. He had to be careful so that they wouldn't end up falling into the water but he pushed his face into Stiles' neck, rubbing his face - stubble and all - all over every part of skin he could reach. He slid his hands underneath Stiles' jacket and pushed it off his shoulders, setting it aside and then getting rid of his own. It was getting too hot for it anyways. He was losing himself to Stiles' scent, unable and unwilling to hold himself back. He didn't think twice about pulling the tails of Stiles' shirt from his pants and letting his hands move up to the soft skin of Stiles' back. Their dessert was forgotten as Derek focused on getting as much of his scent over Stiles as he could possibly manage without claiming him right then and there, getting him naked and marking him. Derek settled for closing his mouth over Stiles' pulse point, licking and mouthing at his skin and the taut tendons underneath. He was rumbling soft and content and pleased, low and deep in his chest. Somehow between one breath and the next Derek had manhandled Stiles up and into his lap to get more points of contact, only just barely holding himself back. He would never do anything to harm Stiles. He just wanted Stiles to smell like him and no one else. He wanted everyone to know that Stiles was his. Not in ownership but just in general. No one would take him away unless Stiles chose it himself. 

If Stiles thought he was prepared for scenting, he was dead wrong. At first it wasn’t all the different from the dinner table. Derek just shoved his face into the crook of Stiles’ neck and Stiles forgot to breathe for a second or two. Nothing he couldn’t handle. Of course, that was what he thought until he felt Derek’s hands. He had realized that Derek had taken off his own jacket, but was surprised when hands came to remove his own as well, even more so when they un-tucked his shirt from his pants and promptly slid underneath the fabric. Derek’s hands felt like brands against his skin and Stiles was positive that he wasn’t breathing anymore. When Derek’s mouth attached itself to his skin and Stiles was tugged into the man’s lap seconds later, an audible gasp left his mouth before he bit down on his lip hard. Without even realizing, his hands had come up to steady himself by tangling in Derek’s hair, his neck had tipped to the side to give Derek more room, and his legs had wrapped around the older man’s waist. Stiles definitely liked scenting. His heart was pounding in his ears and his entire body felt hot as he stayed completely still, but it still felt awesome and perfect and right. Stiles tried to keep himself calm. He was a teenage boy after all, and there was an extremely attractive individual more or less feeling him up. It was a situation he had never found himself in before to say the least. A quick thought flitted through his mind, wondering what sex was like if this was just scenting. Definitely not the kind of thoughts he wanted to be having in his current position. Stiles tried to shift his thoughts to dead puppies and naked grandmothers rather than the strong hands on his back and the warm mouth on his neck. 

Derek could smell Stiles' arousal and it certainly did not make it any easier for him to keep himself from stripping them both down naked and taking what he wanted. His family was less than a mile away though and if they really strained their ears could probably even hear them though he doubted highly that anyone was paying them any attention or even really noticed their absence. He kept himself in check though as he mouthed at the long column of Stiles' throat, fingers tangling in his messy brown hair and tugging very gently just to get Stiles' chin up even further. He licked at and grazed his teeth over the knobs where Stiles' collarbones met in the middle at his sternum just under the hollow of his throat, the small little 'u' shaped dip. He wanted his scent everywhere and the best way to get Stiles to smell like him was, obviously, sex. Which wasn't going to happen. At least not right now. Derek was getting hopeful that it might happen at some point though, even if he didn't actually give himself permission to hope. He wanted Stiles and it sure as hell seemed like Stiles wanted him too but there was still the niggling thought that asked him how much of this was Stiles' own decision and free will and how much was he being influenced by whatever bond had connected them at the hearts. Derek managed to get the top buttons of Stiles' shirt undone, just enough to pull the collar aside and attach his mouth to Stiles' collarbone. The next best thing for scenting was leaving hickeys behind and Derek did just that, sucking hard at the soft skin that he found to leave a dark angry bruise behind which would be covered up when Stiles' shirt was re-buttoned. Derek left a trail of them along Stiles' clavicle, marking Stiles as his without giving much thought to it. He didn't want anyone else to have Stiles. When he was mostly satisfied, Derek wound his arms tightly around Stiles' waist, hands underneath his shirt to get at skin, and Derek buried his nose at the base of Stiles' throat, head on Stiles' shoulder. He breathed heavily and a low rumble vibrated through his chest with obvious pleasure. Stiles smelled so much like him, like his. Derek barely held himself back from growling out a possessive mine but he managed to choke it back, not wanting to sound like he thought Stiles was property. Because Stiles wasn't. Derek just wanted to keep him for probably ever. 

As hard as Stiles tried, the second Derek tugged his head up even farther to lick at his skin, he was done for. Dead puppies and naked grandmas couldn’t save him now. Derek’s mouth and his tongue and his hands were the only things that Stiles could think about and boy, was he thinking about them. Thinking about what they were doing now, thinking about what they could be doing later, thinking about what he wanted them to be doing all the time. Stiles had to actively keep himself from rocking forward in search of friction for what was becoming a rapidly growing problem. His breathing grew labored as Derek sucked hickeys into his skin and Stiles squeezed his eyes shut, trying as hard as he could to keep quiet. He wasn’t actually sure how far away they were and he wasn’t sure how far werewolf hearing extended, but he was sure that he didn’t want Derek’s family to hear him moaning like a pornstar just from a few hickeys. His nails were digging into Derek’s shoulders where his hands had moved when Derek had begun unbuttoning the top of his shirt, and if Stiles shifted a little closer to Derek so more of their bodies were touching, no one had to know. He was borderline panting when Derek finally took his mouth off of Stiles’ skin and pressed his face back into the crook of his neck. Stiles was positive that he was going to have some wicked stubble burn, but right now he didn’t care because all he could feel was Derek’s satisfied growl vibrating through his entire body, Derek’s strong arms wrapped tightly around him. He was pretty sure that that signaled the end of the proceedings and Stiles would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little disappointed. Or a lot disappointed. “Fuck me, holy shit, Derek,” Stiles breathed, his words sounding a lot more like a moan than he had intended, “That was… wow… okay, now I kinda get why you didn’t scent me when I offered that day we went shopping and we were eating lunch. Definitely not appropriate behavior around, you know, other people. But yeah, Jesus fuck, my god. I should probably stop talking, but I kind of can’t because if I do, I honestly don’t think I’d be able to stop myself from just like humping the life out of you like a preteen who discovered his hand for the first time and holy crap, yeah no I should really stop talking, please forget I said any of this at all. Yeah, let’s just pretend I didn’t kill the moment by opening my mouth. Yeah? Yeah.” Stiles finally shut the hell up, his face burning, but he made no move to get away from Derek. 

Derek's growl got just a bit louder as Stiles started talking but not in annoyance, rather in pleasure as he couldn't help himself rocking his hips forward a bit. "Stiles," he said in a deep, rough voice against Stiles' neck. "If I fucked you it wouldn't be once and I'd never want you to leave," he admitted, licking a stripe up the long line of Stiles' neck to just behind his ear before scraping his teeth over Stiles' lobe. "I'd want to be able to keep you and I'm not sure you'd want that. You're so young. I shouldn't want you like I do. You drive me crazy." Derek's fangs descended and he scraped them very gently over Stiles' collarbone and the hickeys he'd left there, careful not to break the skin. He knew his eyes were crimson red and he kept himself as in control as he could but he couldn't make his eyes go back to normal. He pulled away from Stiles' skin and turned his head up to breathe fresh air but all he smelled was Stiles. After a moment he got himself in check and made a soft noise in the back of his throat. "You have no idea what you do to me, I swear. God, Stiles," he growled softly, biting down with human teeth onto Stiles' shoulder. 

Stiles full on moaned when Derek rocked against him, which was embarrassing because they really barely touched. His grip on Derek's shoulders tightened and he was probably wrinkling the fabric in a very telltale way, but he really couldn't care. Not when Derek was using that voice to talk to him about fucking him and keeping him and how much Derek wants Stiles, which is honestly really hard to believe. Stiles' eyes shot open when he felt Derek bite into his shoulder, and he hadn't even realized he closed them. This was getting out of control extremely quickly and as much as Stiles wanted nothing more than to continue what was happened, it probably wasn't the best idea out in the open with their nice clothes on. Stiles would much prefer their nice clothes to be off, and how the hell was he going to sleep in the same room as Derek tonight? Still, Stiles couldn't help himself when he slid his hands up to thread through Derek's hair and he couldn't stop himself from shifting his body closer to the older man, another moan spilling from his lips as he did so, a bright red blush staining his cheeks. "We... We should probably be heading back soon," Stiles breathed, sounding a lot less wrecked than he felt, "They're going to be missing us." Despite his words, he only moved closer to Derek, the complete opposite of what he just said they should do.

Derek sighed against Stiles' shoulder and just tightened his arms around Stiles' waist, obviously not ready to let go. Stiles didn't actually say anything about... anything Derek had said really. But he didn't want to bring it up again. He wasn't sure if it was on purpose, Stiles just not sure how to say he wasn't interested and only got an erection because he was a teenage virgin who'd never been touched (and wasn't that a great thought for Derek), or if he just didn't know what to say. Derek wished he knew which it was. He swallowed thickly and then nodded, pulling back to look at Stiles carefully. "If I ever...if I ever go to far or do something you don't want, please tell me. You don't have to agree to...any of this just because I want it. If you don't want it, if you don't... Want me, you can tell me. I'll understand. I'll never push you into anything," he said solemnly, eyes trained on Stiles'. 

"Oh fuck," Stiles said, a small realization on his face, "I didn't... okay. Yeah, I have this weird thing where I either say everything inside my head and don't actually talk or I talk about everything and don't really use my head. It's a 50/50 shot on which one happens really, but no yeah, I though you know, my raging teenage hard on was kind of proof enough? You know that this is an enjoyable activity? Something I would like to do more often maybe? I mean, maybe we should find out more about this 'soul bonds' thing first, but yeah, I'm totally down for whatever is happening right now. Sex, also a thing I'm down for, if you're down for it, which I really can't believe that you are because I mean, look at me and look at you. Huge discrepancy there. Maybe the whole 'keeping' thing can be discussed at a later date, because that seems rather serious and like it needs to be talked about, but no for right now everything is really just yeah." He shut up when he realized how much he had been talking, but it happened when he caught nervous or excited, both of which he was right now. He just wanted to make sure that Derek knew that things were alright. They probably should be heading back soon though, after Stiles has a chance to calm down. Kenna is probably wondering where they are. Stiles hoped to god that no one was jumping to what may now be some correct assumptions. 

Derek listened to Stiles speaking and smiled a bit but still looked uncertain. "Getting hard only means you're physically attracted to me, Stiles. It doesn't mean you want me," he pointed out reasonably as he ran his hands up and down Stiles' back gently before sighing. He licked his lips and closed his eyes and focused in on his hearing until he could tune into what was going on at the house. "They're just finishing up dessert and then we're gonna go on a run," he said with a nod of his head, hesitating before pressing a kiss to Stiles' cheek. "We can talk more about this later. About… us. We can learn more about soul bonding and decide where to go from there." 

Stiles sat there in Derek's lap, completely frozen after the man kissed his cheek. It had been soft, a brush of lips against skin, but Stiles still sat there dumbfounded. It seemed like Derek was moving to stand them both up but before he could, Stiles grabbed his face. He was wearing this strange expression, like he just wanted to try something and he hoped Derek would let him. Before he could lose his nerve, Stiles brought them together and he pressed his lips to Derek's in a chaste kiss. Almost as soon as their lips touched, something shot through Stiles like electricity. "Did you feel that?" he asked incredulously as he pulled back, too intrigued to feel embarrassed about what he just did. He knew at some point he would have to clarify to Derek that as hot as his body was, his personality added like twenty points on a scale of ten, but for now he was a little more interested in that spark. 

Derek was surprised at the kiss and also at the fact that when Stiles grabbed his face he didn't feel the need to growl. Usually if anyone grabbed his face like that his fangs would come out but all he wanted to do was push into them. He did in fact feel the spark of electricity shoot through him when their lips touched and he nodded. It felt like electricity shooting through every nerve ending in his body, down his spine to his toes and all the way to his fingertips and even to his scalp. He leaned in to test it and again the same delicious spark shot through him but this time he didn't pull away immediately but rather continued to kiss Stiles slowly and tenderly, trying to pour himself into it so Stiles could know how serious he was about it. 

Stiles hadn't really expected Derek to kiss him again, though at the same time, he didn't know why he was surprised. That same electricity, that same energy was pulsing through him with the kiss, but he didn't pull away as Derek continued. Miraculously, it actually made him calm down. He suspected that it was the pace of the kiss, slow and gentle, rather than passionate and leading towards something bigger, but Stiles found that he liked this better. At least for right now. Kissing Derek felt like something he should be spending all of his time doing. He could feel butterflies fluttering away in his stomach and it felt like his heart was going to leap out of his chest, but he continued to kiss Derek until he had to pull away to breathe because he'd forgotten to. "We should go back," Stiles said breathlessly, "Don't want you to miss that run." He gave Derek a small, teasing smile. He doubted anything could bring him down tonight. 

Derek smiled a bit and then sighed, pressing his forehead to Stiles' for a moment. "Yeah. Okay," he agreed slowly and eventually got himself and Stiles to their feet. Gently he reached out and eyed the dark bruises on Stiles' collarbone before he re-buttoned Stiles' shirt, tightening up his tie again. He tucked Stiles' shirttails back into his pants and then smiled almost shyly like he was a teenager again with his first crush instead of a twenty three year old adult who'd just essentially mauled Stiles with his mouth. He leaned down to pick up Stiles' coat and helped him back into it and then hesitated before leaning in slowly to kiss Stiles again very softly and tenderly. "It's usually not that much longer, just the run and then people start to head out. The cubs are usually tired by then." 

Stiles could feel how red his face was as Derek got him dressed again. Honestly, he could do it himself, but Derek seemed intent on doing it for him and hell if Stiles was going to rain on that parade, even if it was a bit embarrassing. He opened his eyes belatedly after the second kiss, taking a moment to process the fact that Derek had actually said words. "Hmm? Oh, yeah, that's fine," Stiles finally said, "Don't rush on my account, I'm fine." He leaned down to pick up their mostly untouched desserts. Some horrible part of his brain supplied that Derek had Stiles for dessert instead, and fuck if that didn't make his blush spread even further across his face. The two of them had just hit the edge of the clearing when Stiles stopped dead in his tracks. "Everyone's going to be able to tell aren't they?" he said, as though the thought had just occurred to him. 

Derek looked over at Stiles when he froze and then smiled a bit, shaking his head. "They'll only be able to tell that I've scented you which is perfectly normal especially considering how many other werewolves are here and my little...display when we first arrived. They'll just think I got overprotective which I am. They won't think we had sex, don't worry. It would... Smell much different and more potent," he answered honestly with a slight blush of his own. "We don't have to tell them anything. Not until you want to. Though we should tell Kenna since she lives with us."

Stiles started walking with Derek again, albeit slower now as he thought. "Do they... Are they gonna... Will they know exactly what... kind of scenting took place?" he finally asked, figuring out how to phrase his question, "Because I'm going to go ahead and assume that that's not typical, unless it is, in which case Kenna and I can swap stories and compare and shit like that." He was completely joking about the second part, giving Derek a playful nudge so that he knew he wasn't serious. Still, those hickeys had felt pretty serious and Stiles was sure that when he showered tonight, there would be a line of dark bruises across his skin. The thought made him bite his lip, the idea of Derek marking him doing weird things with his head. 

"They won't know unless one of us tells them and I never needed to scent Kenna because we grew up together. The scent of pack is a part of her natural scent now just as it will be for you once you spend enough time with me, with us," Derek answered, wanting to give Stiles whatever information and answers that he could provide. "We're getting close though so if you don't want them to hear anything you might not want to say it. We can talk about it later and I'll answer any questions that you have. Okay? No topics off limit if you can wait until we get home."

Stiles kept the comment to himself about how much that sounded like some weird, sexual reward system because Derek was right. He could see the house through the trees. Scott bounded out of the house almost as soon as they broke the tree line. 

"Where've you been man?" he asked with a smile on his face, "And bro, you completely reek of Derek."

"Yeah well, Derek was just showing me around some of the property," Stiles answered with a shrug.

"No, it's more than that," Scott said, taking a few steps closer until he was practically in Stiles' face. 

"I love you bro, but not like that," Stiles said with a grin. Scott just glared at him and shoved him gently. Apparently he wasn't too keen on the whole just been scented thing, or maybe he was being intentionally oblivious. Either way, he had been sufficiently distracted, and the rest of the party began to filter outside in preparation for the run.

Derek glared at Scott but it was more like a sibling thing than an angry thing. He knew Scott was mostly just teasing. Derek turned to Stiles with a slightly anxious slightly anticipatory gleam in his eyes. "Fair warning, there will be a lot of nakedness in about five seconds. So don't freak out. We don't have a lot of modesty within the pack. Or any at all really," he said and as if on cue, all the wolves started to strip out of their good clothes and laid them out carefully to be put back on upon their return. 

The little kids were all running about screeching and giggling playfully until the first one burst into a ball of fur mid air and the rest followed suit, shifting into tiny little wolf cubs with multihued fur. The rest of the family started shifting as well and Derek waited beside Stiles until Kenna bounced over with a smile. 

"I'll stay with Stiles, Derek. You should go shift before your mom bites you in the butt again," she said with a laugh and Derek rolled his eyes before looking over at Stiles. 

"I'll be back soon okay?" he assured him before he and Scott headed over to get undressed and shifted. 

Allison was waiting for Scott, already naked, and her eyes shone gold as she waited for him to strip down and together they shifted into a pair of gorgeous looking wolves. Scott had a soft brown coat the color of milk chocolate and Allison's was snow white in comparison with small grey speckles on her flank. Derek didn't bother to hide himself from Stiles' view as he systematically pulled off his coat and then his vest and tie and shirt; toeing out of his shoes and stripping off his socks before letting his trousers and boxers fall as well. All of his clothes were folded into a neat pile on a clean table and then he rolled his head on his shoulders and shifted. Every movement was calculated and controlled and by the time he was fully shifted he was quite obviously bigger than all but two of the wolves present. He glanced at the pack and then at Stiles and then trotted over quickly, looking up at Stiles and Kenna and giving a wolfy grin that might have looked scary had his tongue not been lolling out the side as he butted his nose against Stiles' hand. 

Stiles didn’t get a chance to respond to Derek’s comment about the nakedness before everyone was undressing. He averted his eyes politely, his cheeks staining pink ever so slightly. The kids were actually kind of cute, running around naked as the day they were born before they turned into the cutest little wolves that Stiles had ever seen in his life. Everyone began shifting after that, and Stiles was surrounded by wolves. They were all gorgeous and Stiles found himself wondering how anyone could hate them until he remembered the things that they do to humans. He kept forgetting that the situation he had found himself in was not at all typical. 

Stiles didn’t bother trying to hide the way that he stared as Derek undressed. It didn’t seem like Derek was trying all that hard to hide himself either. When he was down to his underwear, Stiles looked away, his face bright red. He could see Scott looking at him weird, but Stiles didn’t really care. Derek was hot and Stiles was going to look. 

“You’ve got some drool there,” Kenna murmured with a small nudge. Stiles flushed scarlet and nudged her back. 

“Shut up,” he hissed, a playful smile on his face. Derek came over then, fully shifted, and he shoved his nose against Stiles’ hand. Stiles’ smile widened and he couldn’t stop himself from running his hands through the fur on Derek’s head, scratching behind his ears just a little bit. “Go on,” he murmured, “I’ll be fine without you for a few minutes.” He gave Derek one more rub before stepping away and standing next to Kenna. Once the yard was empty, the two of them went inside together. 

“So you guys were gone for a long time,” Kenna commented, feigning nonchalance. 

“Yeah, yeah, I see what you’re implying,” Stiles said, an unimpressed look on his face. 

“So? Am I right?” Kenna said with a nudge. Stiles stuffed one of the forgotten cookies from his plate into his mouth and avoided the question, a blush on his face. “Ha! I’m totally right,” Kenna said with a smirk. 

“It’s complicated,” Stiles said, his words muffled by his dessert.

“Chew your food,” Kenna chastised. Stiles just made a face at her, but he swallowed his mouthful. 

“It’s… there’s this things between us,” Stiles began as they went to sit in the living room alone, “His mother told him it was called a soul bond or something, but neither of us really knows what that is. All I know is that I said he could scent me, and his entire face lit up like a Christmas tree. He stuck his face in my neck and he slid his hands under the back of my shirt and then he pulled me into his lap and he started biting at my neck…” Stiles trailed off as he started remembering, a blank look coming onto his face. 

“Earth to Stiles,” Kenna said, snapping her fingers in front Stiles’ face. 

“Sorry,” he said, a sheepish look on his face, “Anyway, yeah, he was basically like purring and then there was some unbuttoning and some hickeys and some slight frottage and then we kissed and holy shit it was like I was struck by lightening.” Kenna smiled at him.

“Sounds like you two got your asses in gear,” she said. 

“Shut up,” Stiles said with a grin.

“So what’s going to happen from here?” Kenna asked. 

“We don’t know,” Stiles said with a shrug, “We’re going to find out exactly what soul bonds are and go from there.”

Running with his family was one of Derek's favorite things because he could finally be who he was - a wolf. He loved the freedom and the way that human emotions were condensed into much simpler and easier to deal with forms which was why he went running a lot to blow of steam. Things were easier to handle in wolf form and he'd spent a lot of time that way after becoming alpha. So much so that he very nearly went feral until his sisters forced him back from the edge and Laura forced Derek to take alpha lessons from her for a month and a half until he got his control down and he could shift without worrying he wouldn't be able to change back. 

Running now was a release and every so often one or two of them would loop back to round up the cubs and spur them on but otherwise the little ones weren't in any danger. They were the top of the food chain in these woods. They play wrestled and rolled around each other, nipping with tiny baby teeth. Derek could already tell that Hailey and Hannah would make good alphas like their mother since they were Laura's oldest and next in line for alpha after her. 

Derek didn't know how long they were gone because time seemed to slip by him much quicker than usual when he ran and he knew it was well on the way to midnight by the time everyone tumbled back into the clearing. His older brother, Elliot, - with his soft grey and black coat - decided to tackle him from the side and they went tumbling out of the group, snarling playfully and biting at each other as they wrestled for dominance even though Elliot wasn't an Alpha. 

Kenna heard the noise of the pack outside as well as the other humans did and she smiled at Stiles. "C'mon, they're back," she told him, checking her phone that told her it was about ten forty and they'd been gone a few hours already. She led the way outside with everyone else and spotted Derek and Elliot immediately, chuckling to herself and pointing them out to Stiles. "That's Derek and his brother," she said, shaking her head and watching them play. All the little cubs were gathered together to watch them with fascination but were careful to keep their distance just in case. 

Stiles had been contemplating taking a nap when the pack finally returned. They certainly enjoyed their running. It reminded Stiles of how he used to run through the woods, not running away but just running. Maybe he would go tomorrow. Derek’s property would probably be safe enough for him to go alone. He wouldn’t want to slow Derek down or anything after all. 

Kenna didn’t have to point Derek out to Stiles. He could already pick him out from everyone else in the pack. Watching him play fight was a little surreal. It was clear that the game wasn’t serious, but at the same time, it alluded to the power they held and the pain they could inflict. It was kind of scarily beautiful. Teeth snapping playfully, eyes glowing, muscles working under rippling fur. Stiles couldn’t take his eyes off them. Until he had to. A chocolate brown wolf bowled into him, knocking him back onto his rear end before shoving its face against Stiles’ chest to rub against him a bit. The wolf pulled back after seconds, tongue lolling out of its mouth as he brought his head down low and his butt up high, wiggling it in the same way that a dog would when they wanted to play. 

“Scott?” Stiles asked a bit incredulously. The wolf gave a small bark. Stiles turned back towards Kenna. “What do I do?”

“Wrestle with him,” Kenna said with a smile, “He won’t hurt you.” Stiles looked back towards Scott who was still in the same position before giving a shrug. He launched himself at Scott, knocking them both over and soon they were playing around themselves. Scott was much stronger than Stiles was, but he used it carefully. He didn’t snap his jaws like Derek and his brother did, he only pressed his muzzle against Stiles as though alluding to a bite and nudging him around instead. Stiles was laughing and smiling, not really trying all that hard to win a fight that he knew he couldn’t. Within minutes, Stiles was underneath Scott who had plopped down on top of him to keep him there, causing a whoosh of air to run out of Stiles’ lungs. 

“Alright, you win,” Stiles wheezed while laughing, “Christ, what do you eat man? I think you’ve gotten fatter since you left.” All Scott did in response was lick Stiles’ face. “Oh gross, that’s bro spit,” Stiles jokingly complained, wiping his face with the one hand that wasn’t trapped under Scott’s enormous body. Scott made a really strange choking sound and it wasn’t until Stiles looked at his face that he realized Scott was trying to laugh at him. Stiles narrowed his eyes, but before he could do anything, a second wolf called to Scott and he was up like a shot. It had to be Allison. Stiles propped himself up onto his elbows as he watched them nuzzle against one another before shifting back so they could get into their clothes. 

Just like emotions were easier to deal with as a wolf, affection was easier to convey. And when Derek was done wrestling with Elliot, pinning him down and placing his teeth at Elliot’s throat playfully until he gave in, Derek trotted back over to where Scott had just left Stiles. Derek grinned his dumb wolfy grin with his tongue hanging out the side and he nudged his wet black nose against Stiles' and then against Stiles' cheek and neck, huffing a bit when he realized that Scott had scented Stiles and masked some of Derek's own scent which just wouldn't do. Stiles needed to smell like him and Derek would make it happen. He shoved his wet nose back into Stiles' neck again and nuzzled in, pushing his huge body as close as he could get; much bigger than Scott, as a beta, was. 

Stiles hadn’t really seen Derek coming until his huge, hulking figure was directly in Stiles’ space. Derek’s nose was cold against his skin, making Stiles jump a bit, but after that he calmed down right away. Stiles brought his hands up to ruffle the fur on Derek’s head a bit before the large wolf began rubbing his face against Stiles. It was different from when Scott had done it, since there was more weight behind the action, but Stiles didn’t have a problem until, in a similar fashion to Scott, Derek plopped down right on top of him, seemingly trying to get as close to Stiles as possible. 

“Umm, hi there,” Stiles wheezed out. The weight made it harder to breathe, but Stiles could manage well enough. It was strangely calming and Stiles moved his hands until he could pet Derek gently, rhythmically. His head fell back to hit the ground, his eyes shut, and he felt completely relaxed. 

“Come on you two, there’ll be time for that later,” Kenna said, coming to stand next to them, “Talia says that my wonderful Jacob has an announcement to make.”

Derek bared his teeth at Kenna when she came over though not in a menacing or dangerous way but more just because he was irritated that she was interrupting this. He was comfortable where he was and it felt so damned good to have Stiles' hands carding through his fur. Kenna just bent to flick his ear and made a shooing motion. Derek grumbled and he turned to lick a hot stripe from the base of Stiles' neck up behind his ear before getting up, shaking out his fur. 

"Put your clothes on, Derek, and get your ass inside. You have three minutes and then we're starting without you," Kenna said and tossed her hair before heading back into the house. 

Derek rolled his eyes hard and then trotted over to the table, sitting back on his hind legs and slowly shifting back to human so he ended up on his feet. He rolled his head on his shoulders and then did the same thing with his shoulders, rolling them up and down to loosen the joints before reaching for his boxers, pulling them on before he turned to Stiles just so he wouldn't make him uncomfortable. 

"Did you have a good time with Kenna?" he asked with a small smile as he put on his shirt, doing up the buttons methodically. 

If Derek had been human, that lick would have been unnaturally hot, but as a wolf it just felt weird, no different from a pet dog. Once Derek was gone from on top of him, Stiles picked himself up and started to try and wipe off some of the dirt from his clothes and hair. He had no doubt that he looked sufficiently messed up and he felt bad for most likely getting grass stains on his nice clothes, but they would just need the right kind of color safe bleach and it would be good as new.

Stiles had actually forgotten that Derek was naked until he shifted back. A bright red blush crept over his face as he averted his gaze, focusing much harder than he had to on wiping the dirt from his pants. 

“Uhh, yeah, we had fun,” Stiles said in response to Derek’s question, giving him a quick glance before looking away again, “I told her what happened. She seemed relatively unsurprised. It kinda seemed like she knew before we knew. Or at least before I knew.” He was trying to make sure that there wasn’t any grass or leaves or dirt in his hair when Derek finally had enough clothes on for Stiles to look at him properly. “How was the run?” he asked. Everyone seemed to be much more relaxed after it happened. 

The smiles seemed to come easier to Derek around Stiles especially after he'd gone running with his family. Some of those good feelings he'd had while running transferred over with him and it was good. He almost didn't feel crushed underneath the weight of the guilt he carried around with him. "It was...really good. I enjoy running," he answered, pulling on his trousers and buckling the belt after he tucked in his shirttails. He finished dressing, putting on his tie and then his vest before grabbing his jacket. 

Derek moved closer to Stiles and glanced around to make sure there was no one looking, no windows for anyone to see them through, before he leaned in and pressed a hesitant kiss to Stiles' mouth. He gave a shy smile and put his hand on the small of Stiles' back. "C'mon, I know what about to happen and we don't want to miss it," he said softly, leading him towards the door. 

They took their places inside, joining the others with Stiles a steady weight beside him that kept him grounded. Everyone's attention turned to Jacob who was holding a wine glass and tapping a knife against it. Jacob was sweet and good for Kenna and he was relatively attractive too with pale green eyes and caramel colored skin and short cropped dark brown hair, probably as tall as Derek but definitely taller than Kenna who was tiny anyways. 

"If I could have everyone's attention," Jacob called with a wide smile, running a hand through his short hair and then spotting Kenna. "Kenna, honey, come here," he coaxed and Kenna blushed but moved to Jacob's side, blushing lightly and unsure what was going on. "As you all know, Kenna and I have been dating for five years since she was fourteen years old and I was fifteen. I once told Talia, I said 'you know, one day I think I'll marry that girl' and she just smiled and patted my shoulder and said 'of course you will, sweetheart'. Well, I plan to do exactly that." Kenna gasped softly and covered her mouth when Jacob turned to her and fell onto one knee, offering up a small red satin box and popping it open. "Kenna Marie Adamson, will you marry me?" 

Stiles still felt that pulse of energy between them when Derek kissed him softly and he found himself wondering if that was going to happen every time they kissed. If it did, he would be surprisingly okay with that. This was the third time that Derek had kissed him compared to the one time that Stiles had kissed Derek. Stiles was glad that Derek evidently felt comfortable enough to go ahead and kiss him when the urge struck, but Stiles had some catching up to do. Not to mention that they still had to figure out this whole ‘soul bonds’ thing, but he supposed that could wait. 

Scott gave Stiles a pointed look after glancing at Derek’s hand on his back and Stiles just gave him a shrug in return, not really ready to say anything about it until he and Derek could define it themselves. Everyone was gathered around Jacob, who Stiles had met briefly at the beginning of the night. He was very friendly and seemed like a good match for Kenna. 

Stiles felt a wide smile stretch across his face when Jacob proposed. He mused momentarily on whether or not everyone proposed to their significant other in front of the pack. He wondered if Scott would do it. The entire room was silent, waiting on Kenna’s response. 

“Of course I will,” Kenna exclaimed, her eyes glistening with tears though none actually fell onto her face. With both of them wearing huge smiles, Jacob slipped the ring onto her finger and pulled her into a kiss. The entire room erupted into applause and more than one teasing wolf whistle. 

“So I’m guessing you guys were just waiting for it to happen as opposed to wondering if it would?” Stiles asked Derek quietly, not taking his eyes off the incredibly happy couple in front of him who had began to accept congratulations from all angles. 

Derek smiled, albeit a little bit sadly, when Kenna said yes; not because he didn't like Jacob, he did. It's just that it meant Kenna would be moving out of the house and if Stiles decided to reject the bond and leave? Derek would be all alone. So it was a bittersweet moment, but he was happy for her, for them. He was. Part of him thought that was supposed to have happened to him a long time ago but obviously that hadn't worked out and how could he completely regret the outcome when he got Stiles out of it? Stiles was incredible and he was thankful with every part of his being that whoever was out there decided that Derek deserved someone like him. 

He turned when Stiles spoke and shrugged, smiling a bit. "Yea, pretty much. Though I was the only one who knew he was going to propose tonight," he admitted, forgetting that his hand was still resting on Stiles' back. He liked the point of steady contact though, the warmth even though Stiles' coat and the rhythmic sound of his heartbeat which was becoming more and more familiar to Derek's ears. 

"Derek, Derek, look!" Kenna gushed as she came bounding up with Jacob's hand still clutched in her own as she shoved her free hand into Derek's face to show off the frankly huge engagement ring on her finger. "Stiles look, isn't it gorgeous? Oh my gosh, I'm gonna get married. We have to start planning. This is so great." 

Jacob chuckled beside Kenna but he didn't look overwhelmed at all, just happy and tolerant. Derek grinned at them both and kissed Kenna's forehead. "I'm really happy for you, kid," he told her honestly and then extended his hand to Jacob who grinned as well. "Take care of her, alright? I won't hesitate to break a few bones if you hurt her, understand?"

"Understood," Jacob agreed and Derek could tell that Jacob would be perfect for Kenna. He'd always treated Kenna well and knew how to take care of her like only Kenna needed to be looked after.

Stiles didn’t get a chance to say anything before Kenna was rushing over, flaunting her engagement ring. He was smiling until he caught sight of it, then his jaw dropped. He grabbed Kenna’s hand, dragging it out of Derek’s face and into his own. Now, Stiles didn’t know much about engagement rings or diamonds or any of that, but he knew an above average piece of jewelry when he saw one. This diamond in this ring was gigantic. 

“That is one hell of a rock!” he exclaimed, turning Kenna’s hand so that it shone in the light, “I mean goddamn. You could kill someone with this. Nice going, man.” He gave Jacob a smile, which the man returned. 

“Stop it,” Kenna said with a playful shove, “The size doesn’t matter.”

“Oh really?” Stiles said with a wiggle of his eyebrows that did little but make Kenna shove him again.

“No one asked for your crass commentary,” she said primly, the effect ruined by the giant grin on her face. 

“Well then, I am definitely the wrong person to come to for wedding advice,” Stiles said jokingly, crossing his arms over his chest. 

“Oh please, you wouldn’t know a thing about weddings if one bit you in the ass,” Kenna snorted. 

“Now who’s being crass?” Stiles laughed. Kenna just brushed it off with a wave of her hand. 

“Despite your lack of knowledge, I will still want your opinion,” Kenna said seriously. 

“Of course, whatever you need me for,” Stiles said without even hesitating. It wasn’t until Kenna and Jacob were pulled away for champagne that Stiles really realized what he said. He didn’t know much, but he knew that planning weddings took months. He had more or less just promised Kenna he would stay for months. Of course, with this newly discovered thing with Derek, it would have been hard to leave anyway. Stiles was so wrapped up in his thoughts that he didn’t even notice that his body was finally starting to catch up with how late it was, a huge yawn forcing its way out of his mouth, his eyes drooping ever so slightly. 

Derek just listened to Stiles and Kenna bickering back and forth, smiling softly the whole time as something warm and comfortable settled in his chest like a purring cat. He kissed Kenna's cheek again when she hugged him and waved a bit before she disappeared. He glanced over when Stiles started yawning again and tightened his arm around Stiles. 

"Why don't we go? Kenna's probably going to stay the night with Jacob here so we don't have to wait for her," Derek suggested, rubbing Stiles' back gently and then pulling away slightly to maintain their platonic image for Derek's family. At least until they figured out what exactly they were doing. If they decided to be together in the end then Derek would have no trouble at all telling his entire family if not just to warn anyone off but to brag a little too because the universe seemed to decide he deserved someone so great. 

“Sounds good to me,” Stiles said with another small yawn, leaning into Derek’s touch until it wasn’t really there for him to lean on. He supposed it was better to try and keep things a bit more on the down low until they figured them out for themselves. Stiles wanted to get closer to Derek, but he refrained. He had no idea how he was going to control himself at home in Derek’s room with him when they were supposed to be sleeping. A young teenage boy could only do so much in the department of control. Still, he could barely believe that someone as godlike and gorgeous as Derek wanted to get with a gangly teenager. There was just under a decade between them and Stiles had no doubt that Derek could get anyone he wanted, but he wanted Stiles. It was surreal. 

“Are you leaving?” Scott asked, popping out of nowhere. Damn werewolf hearing. 

“Yeah, I’m pretty beat,” Stiles said with a shrug. 

“Hey everyone, Derek and Stiles are going!” he announced to the rest of the room. Immediately, all the children under the age of five jumped on Derek and everyone came over to hug them and say goodbye. Stiles didn’t know how many different people he hugged or how long it actually took him and Derek to get out of the house. 

Derek chuckled and let himself be overrun with toddlers while he tried to hug and kiss everyone goodbye and finally, by some miracle, he and Stiles made their way out of the house. 

The drive home was long and Stiles slept most of the way but Derek didn't mind. It had been a long day and he didn't blame Stiles in the least. When he finally parked the car in the garage he shut off the engine and got out, moving to Stiles' side and opening the door carefully. 

"Stiles," he said gently, shaking Stiles and running fingers through his soft hair. "Stiles, we're home. C'mon. Let's go inside and get you changed and then we can sleep alright? We'll do research tomorrow. We'll have all day."

Stiles groaned when he felt Derek trying to wake him up and blearily batted his hands away, keeping his eyes stubbornly closed, even as he pushed into Derek's hand in his hair. After a moment, Stiles stuck his arms straight up into the air towards Derek. 

"Carry me," he murmured, eyes still closed. It seemed that after their admissions, his sense of shame was more or less nonexistent. That also could have been the sleepiness. It registered somewhere that Stiles should probably shower before going to bed since he no doubt had dirt on him somewhere from wrestling with Scott, but maybe he could do it in the morning instead. Maybe he would go for a little human run in the morning and then shower. Yeah, that sounded good. Morning shower. Stiles didn't realize that he was actually saying all of this out loud, just letting his stream of consciousness flow. 

Derek chuckled softly and he leaned into the car to pull Stiles into his arms obediently, not thinking twice about following the younger man's orders. He listened to Stiles' rambling and nudged the door of the Camaro closed with his hip, heading into the dark house. He didn't bother turning on any lights, just letting his wolf vision take over to avoid any obstacles. 

"Just tell me before you leave in the morning and I'll go running with you, alright?" he bargained gently as he climbed the stairs and then crossed his room to his own bed. He didn't hesitate laying Stiles there but did take a deep steadying breath before slowly starting to undress him bit by bit. He started with Stiles' shoes and socks and then his jacket, moving on to his vest and tie and shirt. Seeing Stiles' chest completely bare made him lick his lips but he kept in control until he'd stripped Stiles to his boxers. 

"I'll be right back okay?" Derek whispered as he moved Stiles further up the bed so his head was on pillows and Derek could pull the blankets over him. "I'm gonna get changed and go to the bathroom. I'll be right back."

Stiles vaguely registered that Derek was undressing him, but he was too tired to even think sexy thoughts, let alone do sexy things. He wasn’t even sure where all this exhaustion was coming from. It’s not like he had done anything overly strenuous today. Maybe emotional exhaustion? But even still, he hadn’t been all that emotionally taxed either. Stiles decided that he wasn’t going to dwell on it and that he could just blame his weird changing teenage hormones. He curled into the covers, shoving his face into one of the pillows, giving Derek a hum of acknowledgment when he spoke. Stiles wasn’t entirely positive on what he said, but he was sure if it was important, his brain would remember for him. 

It was weird that he was already so comfortable in his new environment and basically had been from day one. Falling asleep in the presence of a werewolf had been almost unthinkable before but he didn’t even have to think about it now. It was almost like he had just slid right into place here, like the missing piece of a puzzle. He wondered if Derek felt the same way. In the end, Stiles decided that there was too much thinking going on. Moments later, he was asleep again. 

Derek went through the motions of undressing and putting his suit up and going to brush his teeth. He even let his fangs out for a play so that he could brush them too. They got pretty gross if he didn't every once in awhile at least. He changed into a clean pair of boxers and then went back into his room, smiling a tiny private smile at the sight of Stiles crashed in his bed. 

Derek turned out all the lights and made sure to draw the thick blackout curtains so the sun wouldn't wake them and then could rouse whenever they felt like it. Derek was all for hard work but some days he liked to stay in bed all day. Maybe Stiles would like that too. Derek could make them pancakes to eat in bed and they could look through his family book together, figure out what was between them. 

He sighed happily and slipped between the sheets, reaching out for Stiles gently and pulling him close. It felt so good to be able to feel Stiles' heart against his own ribs, brushing fingers through his hair. "Sleep well, Stiles," Derek murmured softly and then settled in too, falling asleep within minutes

For once in Stiles’ life, he didn’t have nightmares at all that night. Usually he had at least one and woke himself up before going to sleep again. It was strange when he woke up to realize that he had slept through the night. It almost never happened. There was no light filtering into the room, but a glance at the clock told Stiles that it was only about seven. He figured that his body had finished sleeping and decided to wake him up. It registered second that he was in Derek’s arms. Stiles smiled a bit before he gently worked on untangling himself. He still wanted to go for that run, but he didn’t want to disturb Derek, who looked so peaceful as he slept. Miraculously, he made it out of the werewolf’s hold and out of the room as well without waking him. All his athletic-like stuff was in his unfinished room. Stiles went to the bathroom and then got dressed before exiting through the back door and taking off. He would probably be back before Derek woke up anyway. 

Stiles loved running. It really took his mind off things when all he could focus on was the pounding of his feet and the rabbit-fast beating of his heart and the rush of air through his lungs. With every step, he felt a larger sense of accomplishment even though he wasn’t working towards a specific goal. He remembered that Derek had said something way back in the beginning about the property being warded, but he couldn’t see any fences out here. Maybe only the main property was fenced and the rest was just an invisible barrier. If Stiles stayed on the path, he would probably ensure that he would be fine, but what could happen to him out here? Besides, he liked the challenge of uncontrolled terrain. After thinking for a moment, Stiles veered off the path and into the trees. 

This was what he was talking about. Stiles loved the feeling of the roots under his feet and how he had to dodge branches and jump over rocks. He could feel his muscles working, sweat pouring. He was breathing hard now, getting exactly the kind of workout he was looking for, something to completely exhaust him and make him unable to even move. That was the last thing he thought when something rammed into him from the side. They went careening through the trees, hitting rocks and all sorts of natural debris. Stiles could feel his arms getting scratched up and his body getting bruised. 

“What the hell?” Stiles exclaimed when they finally stopped only to find himself pinned to the ground underneath a man he had never seen before. Glowing eyes and sharp fangs confirmed Stiles fear that he was a werewolf. He struggled hard against the hold on his wrists, but it was no use. He heard twigs crunching and turned his head to see a set of feet and a white cane. 

“And here I was wondering how to get you alone,” a man said. Stiles froze. He recognized that voice even though he had only heard it once. Deucalion. 

“What the fuck do you want?” Stiles spat, resuming his struggling. 

“Derek took you from me,” Deucalion said simply, “I’m taking you back.”

“Like hell you are!” Stiles exclaimed, trying to buck the man off of him. 

“Here’s how it’s going to go,” Deucalion said, slipping off his glasses and crouch down next to Stiles, “I’m going to let you scream for help. Just once. Then I’m going to drug you and make your scent untraceable. We’ll see how far our pretty little Derek is willing to go.”

“He’s going to tear you apart,” Stiles hissed, his glare venomous. 

“And you’re screaming in three, two, one,” Deucalion said wearily. Stiles considered not doing it, but the sooner Derek knew what had happened, the faster he would be able to save him. 

“Derek!” Stiles screamed as loudly as he could, praying to god that Derek would hear him. Deucalion smiled seconds before shoving a rag in Stiles’ face. Chloroform. His face was the last thing Stiles saw before he was out cold.


	8. Chapter 8

Derek didn't rouse when Stiles got up, not until he heard the door from Stiles' bathroom downstairs. He figured that Stiles just wanted a bit of time to himself which was perfectly acceptable and he got up, watching out the window as Stiles headed for the trees. Derek went to the bathroom and then was just warming up a cup of coffee when something pained him sharply and every one of his instincts screamed Stiles! He snarled and ran out the back door at full speed, jumping off the deck and transforming full speed. His clothes lay in tatters behind him but he didn't stop, was almost there when he heard Stiles' cry. 

He broke through the last trees in time to see a strange werewolf - a half shifted beta - drugging Stiles. Derek didn't hesitate a beat as he lunged on instinct and his jaws closed around the man's throat until his neck snapped and Derek let his body fall lifeless to the floor. He stood between Stiles and Deucalion in a dangerous stance, snarling low in his throat, eyes crimson red and his teeth and muzzle dripping with the other wolf's blood. 

"Derek, Derek, Derek, never going to give up on your little pet humans are you? When are you going to realize that the only thing they're good for is fucking and turning? Or killing if you don't want to add anyone to your pack," Deucalion taunted and Derek snapped his jaws at Deucalion's hand hard enough to draw blood which made the man snarl. 

Derek wished he could speak but he couldn't in wolf form and decided not to give Deucalion the chance to run. Using the man's blindness to his advantage, Derek reached his hind leg out to snap a branch to his right. Knowing the Deucalion would be expecting the diversion and for Derek to go left, Derek went right and slammed the man hard in the stomach with his head. Deucalion flew a few feet back and landed on a rock, loud snaps that weren't breaking branches echoing as the man lay lifeless but not dead. Derek snarled in satisfaction and looked around after making sure Stiles was alright. There wasn't much he could do as a werewolf so he shifted back human and knelt beside Stiles, absorbing his pain and more than that, taking the grogginess from the drug away too so that Stiles would regain consciousness. They needed to trap Deucalion before he woke up so that Derek could hand him over to the officials. 

Stiles didn’t react well to waking up after being knocked out. Derek slowly leeched the drug out of his body and as soon as Stiles was awake, he didn’t bother waiting to take in the situation, choosing instead to just lash out violently, becoming a flailing mass of limbs. It wasn’t until his fist collided with something hard and a very Derek-sounding ‘oomph’ followed it that Stiles opened his eyes to take in the scene. The werewolf that had tackled him was laying not even a foot away from Stiles, his neck bleeding sluggishly, his eyes lifeless. He turned his head a bit to the side to see Deucalion’s body, completely unmoving, but he couldn’t tell if the werewolf was dead or not. Then his eyes fell on Derek. The bottom half of his face was stained with blood, but he otherwise seemed unharmed. And naked. Very naked. 

“Okay, no more off road-ing for me,” Stiles groaned as he sat up slowly, “I’m clearly not an all-terrain vehicle.” He wondered just how far he had bypassed the safety of the warding. He would be really angry if it was only a few feet away. They had to have been watching Stiles from some kind of vantage point and the fact that he hadn’t seen them was irritating the hell out of Stiles. 

“Are you alright?” Stiles said, turning to Derek, “What happened? God, I’m sorry. This is why I should listen to people. I mean, you definitely said ‘Hey Stiles, I’ll come with you’ but I was just like ‘Haha, nah’ and I obviously should not have done that. Is he dead by the way? Because he’s not moving. Like at all. I mean not even a twitch.” Stiles knew he was talking too much, but it was only because he was nervous and frazzled. He hadn’t had a negative experience with werewolves since he came to live with Derek and he honestly hadn’t had any until he had been captured either. His father kept him well protected. This was a new experience, one he was not eager to repeat. 

"I'm fine, Stiles. I'm okay, I'm more worried about you," Derek insisted, smoothing his hands down Stiles' face and neck and not even really registering the blood on his teeth or face or even the fact that he was plainly naked. He was too focused on Stiles, checking his vitals quickly and then pressing his forehead against the younger man's. "I'm so glad you're okay. That one-" Derek pointed to the random beta he didn't know "is dead. Deucalion is just knocked out and I hate to ask you but I need you to help me secure him until I can get someone out here to collect him. I- I should kill him. I should but he should pay for what he did. Closure or something like that. Can you help me and then I'll take you back home and another day we'll go over the property lines alright?" 

“No, yeah, that’s fine,” Stiles said, nodding quickly, pretending that his hands were shaking minutely, “Just tell me what I need to do and I’ll get her done. I’ll be the best do-er you’ve ever seen. Just watch me man.” He was rambling again, but he didn’t care. He would worry about that after he calmed himself down. Derek was here and they were both alright. That didn’t change the fact that Deucalion scared the shit out of him, even when he wasn’t moving and that Stiles had just been gruesomely reminded how pathetically defenseless he really was. He had screamed for help without a second thought. Maybe he should become an emissary and learn how to keep himself safe so that he wouldn’t have to depend so heavily on others, so he wouldn’t be a burden. Stiles shook these thoughts from his head for now and waited for instructions from Derek. 

Derek was worried but Stiles was the only one who could do this so he helped him up gingerly and showed him where there was some mistletoe growing on the low hanging branch of a nearby tree. He guided Stiles in burying it in a ring around Deucalion and then took a deep breath. "This is the important part, Stiles. Dig your fingers into the dirt and repeat after me okay?" he said gently, keeping close but not wanting to distract him. "Quis me liberabit ex luna et stellis, nunc invocantem nocere non currat aut lupus ululate manere intra circulum occultes," he said, taking pauses for Stiles to repeat the words. He said the words over and over against Stiles' ear until Stiles was reciting it on his own and Derek felt the change in the atmosphere and the sharp, potent smell of ozone. "You did it," he whispered in relief, breathing out heavily. 

Stiles didn’t even care to ask what the hell it was that he did. All he knew was that his fingers felt like they were on fire and the hairs on the back of his neck were standing up. Maybe it was that spark thing that Deaton had mentioned? Stiles didn’t know, but he just wanted to get back to the house and take a nice long shower. And maybe never come out. He could just turn into a bloated prune and live on the bottom of the tub, feeding off the mushrooms he would eventually grow. He was mumbling all this under his breath, forgetting for a moment that Derek could hear him considering there wasn’t even a foot of space between the two of them. And Derek was still naked. Stiles remembered this with a jolt and his face went red. “Can we head back?” Stiles asked after a moment or two of silence. 

Derek nodded slowly and he wanted to kiss Stiles but his face was still covered in blood. "Yea, yes of course, Stiles," he nodded and stood back, hesitating and then shifting back into his wolf form. He could tell that Stiles was a bit uncomfortable with him when he was naked and it was going to be a long walk back to the house. Stiles had come a long way. He nudged his massive shoulder against Stiles' hip before dipping down, offering Stiles to climb on. It would be probably one of the only exceptions he made for anyone to ride him like a horse but he could get them home faster if Stiles let Derek carry him. 

Stiles stared, dumbfounded when Derek more or less offered him a piggy back ride. He had never, ever heard of werewolves doing that. He thought about refusing the offer, but his legs felt a little like jelly and he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to make it the whole way back. Slowly, Stiles climbed onto Derek’s back, trying to figure out how to get comfortable, holding on tightly to the fur on his scruff where it wouldn’t hurt Derek. “Alright,” he said after a moment, “Ready to go.” He wasn’t really sure if that was true, but they had to get back to the house sooner or later. This really put a damper on Stiles’ day. He didn’t see what was so great about him anyway, to be trying to take him back or whatever it was Deucalion wanted. 

Derek nodded and he took off at a slow run, making sure Stiles was okay where he was before speeding up. He ran as fast as he was capable, wanting to get Stiles home and showered and take a shower himself and then call his mother to see what he should do. He knew he couldn't kill Deucalion because it would only bring him more problems but he needed the man out of his life and away from Stiles. So, so far away from Stiles. 

They arrived back at the house in mere minutes and he stopped on the patio, laying back on his belly so that Stiles could climb off before he shifted back to human. He didn't want to make Stiles uncomfortable but he couldn't help it when he stepped in close, cupping Stiles' jaw and pressing their foreheads together. 

"Are you sure you're alright?" he asked, needing to be certain. It terrified him that he'd almost lost Stiles. 

Stiles was still a bit shaken by the time they got back, but he did feel a little better. When Derek pressed their foreheads together, Stiles pressed back against him, closing his eyes as he swallowed. Was he alright? Physically, yeah he was fine. However, he had still just been reminded how weak he was. Stiles pulled away a bit and gave Derek a small smile. 

"I'm fine," he said, "Just a few bumps and bruises from being tackled but I'm fine. A shower and breakfast would be nice though." Stiles could feel some sort of break down or tantrum building inside him and he didn't want to be in front of Derek when he finally blew. He was just so angry at himself. He couldn't do anything on his own. He was completely useless and he just wanted to punch something.

Derek studied Stiles' face and his brows furrowed. He could tell that Stiles wasn't okay but he didn't want to point it out. Stiles was old enough to know how to handle himself and maybe he just needed some room to breathe. "Okay, I'll make you something to eat while you shower alright? Come on," he said gently, leading Stiles into the house and up the stairs. He didn't stop at Stiles' room but continued up to his own and hesitated before turning to Stiles. 

"Can I ask you a favor?" he requested softly and paused before just asking. "Do you mind- I mean it would make me feel better if- I don't-" he huffed in frustration and shook his head. "Never mind. You can shower here. I'll get breakfast done and shower later." 

Stiles allowed himself to be led, even though he could have gotten there easily himself. Derek was still extremely naked and Stiles was trying very hard to keep his eyes up. He stared straight up at the ceiling when they went up the stairs. Stiles was ready to just jump in the shower and maybe scream into a pillow but Derek seemed to want to ask him something. He stammered through the question and in the end, he didn't ask. Stiles debated for about half a second before grabbing onto Derek's wrist before he could get too far away. 

"Shower with me?" Stiles blurted out. Fuck. He had meant to ask Derek to tell him what he wanted. Well, sure that was what he had been thinking, but it definitely hadn't been at the forefront. Clearly he had priorities.

Derek's eyes widened slightly because he'd definitely thought about that but he didn't want to push. He was just going to ask if Stiles wouldn't mind wearing one of his t-shirts because it would make Stiles smell like him and Derek just really needed that. But showering with Stiles? Fuck yes. One hundred percent. Derek was so very, very okay with that. 

"Yea, okay. Definitely," Derek answered with a nod and a small smile, shuffling in close to Stiles again. He didn't hesitate this time when he moved close, pulling Stiles into a tight hug as he buried his face in Stiles' neck. "I'm just so glad you're okay. Mostly okay. In one piece. God, Stiles. I was so terrified I'd lost you." 

"It's alright," Stiles murmured softly, "I'm alright, Deucalion is trapped or whatever, and everything's alright." That would have been the moment to kiss Derek, but his mouth was still stained with blood and though there were a lot of things that Stiles was okay with, but this was not one of them. Stiles hugged Derek tightly before pulling away. "Come on," he said quietly, taking Derek's hand and leading him towards the bathroom. This wasn't really about sex. Stiles wasn't looking for that. For him, it was more about being close and he hoped Derek would be okay with that. 

Stiles turned on the water to allow it to warm up a bit after he and Derek went into the bathroom and shut the door. His face went a bit pink and he turned away from Derek a bit before he stripped off his clothes. He caught sight of himself in the mirror and noticed the jagged line of dark bruises on his collarbone, almost like the world's weirdest necklace.

Derek allowed Stiles his privacy, or at least what he could give, while Stiles undressed by turning to fiddle with the shower. He messed with it until it was the perfect temperature and then messed with the shower heads until the water streamed out of all of them - the ones on the sides taller than their heads and then level with their chests and the one on the ceiling that fell like rain. Derek loved his shower. 

He turned back to see Stiles eyeing the dark hickeys Derek had left there and Derek hesitated for a moment. "Is it bad that I like the way those look on you?" he asked quietly. And then even quieter the question that was plaguing him the most. "Do you regret it? Letting me?" 

Stiles stopped where he had been idly brushing his fingers over a hickey on the outside to look backwards towards Derek. He could see the vulnerability on the man’s face and he wanted to wipe it clean. 

“Regret is pointless,” Stiles said, his face serious for all of five seconds before a large smile broke out over his face, “I don’t regret it. It was probably one of the most titillating experiences of my life. Honestly… I umm… I liked the idea of you marking me.” His voice had gotten progressively quieter the more he spoke and his face had gotten redder. He stared straight down at his feet, feeling extremely awkward. It suddenly occurred to him that they were both naked and that just made things worse. “So shower?” Stiles said loudly before Derek could respond to what he said, “Yes, shower. Stop! Shower time. Time for cleanliness by raining water.” He scurried past Derek and jumped into the shower, hiding behind the fogged up glass. 

Derek hesitated because Stiles had asked him to shower together but now Stiles seemed so uncertain and shy. Maybe he had changed his mind and didn't know how to tell Derek. But he stepped into the shower, careful not to touch Stiles in case it spooked him even more.

"Stiles?" he said gently, studying Stiles' face. "Are you sure you want me here? It's okay if you changed your mind. You can tell me and I'll go." The last thing he wanted to do was make Stiles uncomfortable with him. 

“I do,” Stiles answered quickly, face flushed from the warmth of the water, “Want you here. It’s just… well it’s a lot of things. Part of me is thinking sexual things because hell why wouldn’t I be? But another part of me is just thinking like closeness and intimate things, which is kind of what I prefer. And then there’s another part that’s thinking extremely insecure things because you’re over there with your godlike body and your face carved by angels and your fully developed everything and I’m over here with my gangly teenage-ness, which can in no way measure up to all that. I mean you’re in your twenties and I haven’t even hit eighteen yet. And then of course there’s the part that wants to run away and hide because I said something as embarrassing as what I said on the other side of the glass with the marking. Not to mention the fact that I was just attacked by a psycho in the forest and I couldn’t do anything to save myself except scream for help because I am weak and pathetic and useless and and—“ Stiles didn’t realize he had started crying until it became harder to breathe properly. He hadn’t wanted Derek to see this, his whole self-worth crisis. 

Derek's eyes widened more as Stiles' rant went on and then Stiles was crying from frustration and that was what Derek had been waiting for. He knew Stiles wasn't alright but he was willing to give him the benefit of the doubt. Standing under the water had mostly washed the blood from his face and he scrubbed at his jaw a bit under the water to be sure before he stepped forward. "Stiles, Stiles, shh it's okay. You're alright," he promised as he dragged Stiles forward into a tight embrace. He rubbed his hands over Stiles' back soothingly and just hung onto him, trying to comfort him. "There are so many things I want to address right now. But for right now I just need you to breathe for me, okay? You're alright. Everything is okay. I can teach you how to defend yourself."

“What good is that going to do?” Stiles hiccupped, burying his face in Derek’s chest, “I’m still physically weaker than virtually anyone I would have to use those skills to fight off. I just… I know I’m human, and I’m okay with that. I’m not okay with being a burden on others just because I can’t take care of myself. Back in the encampment, it had been every man for himself unless there was an emergency, and in a group full of humans, hell I could take care of myself easily. I was independent and I even fought off an asshole once or twice. But here? Here I can’t even fucking go for a run without yelling for help.” Stiles breathing had evened out for the most part, though he couldn’t tell if he was still crying because of the shower water. 

"You're not a burden, Stiles," Derek promised him gently, cupping the back of his head and feeling so damn helpless. He didn't know what to say or do to make Stiles feel better. "I'm so sorry. I'm sorry this happened to you." He held Stiles for an immeasurable amount of time, the water falling over them warmly to keep them from getting cold. "Hey, listen to me," he said quietly after a moment. "You're not helpless. I'll make sure you're not. Whatever I have to do. I'll do it. And as for all that other stuff? You're not unattractive. Quite the opposite actually, you have no idea. You're not the only one who thinks about sex but I don't just want that. I want you and everything that comes with it; the intimacy, the closeness. I want that too. You're not alone in this okay? I promise." 

Stiles knew that this was the time for talking and that he should stand here and discuss these things with Derek, but he had decided that he was effectively done with dealing with things for the day. So instead of acting like the adult he technically wasn’t and working through all this with Derek, Stiles pulled away just enough so that he could wrap his arms around Derek’s neck, lean up, and kiss him. It was a distraction technique, and he knew that Derek probably knew it too, but he didn’t care. It wasn’t that he didn’t want to kiss Derek, because he totally did, it was just that he knew there were more important things to be worrying about. Still, Stiles leaned into Derek as this kissed, savoring that pulse of electricity that still ran through his body. They could talk later. 

Derek was only slightly surprised when Stiles stole forward to kiss him instead of talk. Deflection was something that he was very familiar with as was distraction and he didn't blame Stiles at all for employing it himself. He wrapped his arms back around Stiles' waist and dragged him in tight so that their bodies were pressed together chests to stomachs to hips to knees. Stiles felt incredible in his arms and electricity was searing through his veins with the most delicious heat. Derek could kiss Stiles forever, everyday for the rest of his life if he was allowed. He wanted nothing more than to be able to keep Stiles. Maybe...maybe if they just left Deucalion there he'd just...starve to death. Accidentally. And Stiles and Derek could live their lives completely freed of him once and for all. Derek didn't want to think about that now though. Not when he had his arms full of Stiles and Stiles' tongue pressing into his mouth. That was the only thing he wanted to focus on for a long, long time. 

Stiles kissed Derek back with fervor, gripping hard enough at his back to leave marks if he wasn’t a werewolf. He could feel himself getting worked up, and as amazing as that would be, Stiles wasn’t all that into sex after a traumatic incident. Plus, they’d agreed to figure out the whole ‘soul bonds’ thing before they actually did anything. At least, that’s what Stiles had taken from it. He pulled away, breaking the kiss as he rested his head against Derek’s shoulder. He waited a minute to catch his breath before pulling away completely and turning around to pick up the shampoo. He squirted some into his hand and went behind Derek, reaching up to lather his hair. Stiles remembered how he had threaded his fingers through Derek’s hair last night and he quickly tried to shake those thoughts from his head before it became a problem. This wasn’t about sex. Stiles needed it to not be about sex. He immersed himself in massaging Derek’s scalp, working the shampoo through completely. 

Derek was happy to hold onto Stiles when Stiles finally broke away, feeling like they were moving a bit quickly and Derek was getting a bit too excited. But then Stiles was pulling away and not really talking to Derek or looking at him and it had him worried again. He tilted his head back into Stiles' hands though, unable to hold back the soft happy rumble deep in his chest. He only wished that Stiles had stayed in front of him so that he could look and touch; nothing sexual but just to feel, to be close. When Derek rinsed his hair out, he turned around to face Stiles, giving a small smile and brushing a hand through his hair. "My turn," he murmured quietly, reaching to get the bottle of shampoo and squeezing some into his palm. He kept Stiles from turning around, not wanting his back but his face, and worked his fingers into Stiles' hair. 

Stiles flushed when Derek kept him from turning around, not used to someone wanting to look at him or feel him or any of that. He leaned into Derek’s touch, being careful not to get any soap in his eyes. Derek’s hands felt like heaven massaging his head and he closed his eyes and leaned forward into Derek. He really started to think about what the two of them could do. If Deucalion was going to make a pest of himself, then Stiles really did have to learn something protective. If he began training as an emissary, that probably wouldn’t happen for a while and he needed something now. Maybe Deaton would make an exception based on their situation? Stiles didn’t know, but no matter what Derek said, he was not going to depend solely on the werewolf for safety and protection. Not without feeling guilty. Stiles stepped away after a few minutes to rinse the suds out of his hair, the water cascading down. When he opened his eyes again, he shook his hair out a bit. “Where’s your body wash?” Stiles asked after a moment of looking around, the first words he had said after his little rant. 

Derek reached behind Stiles for a clear bottle of body wash boasting about how it was scented with real roses and other herbals and made organically and Derek blushed. "My sisters always make fun of me for buying this stuff but it's the only one that doesn't use sodium lauryl sulfates or propylene glycol which I'm allergic to both of," he explained, ears a bit pink because his body wash was very much a feminine scented wash. It didn't irritate his olfactory senses either which was a plus. He grabbed a sponge and squeezed a bit on, lathering it up and then looking to Stiles for permission. "May I?" he requested gently, indicating that he wanted to be allowed to wash Stiles' body. Derek was aware that it was a much different situation than hair though and he wouldn't be offended if Stiles decided he'd rather wash himself. 

“I-I-I,” Stiles stammered for a moment, his face going bright red and it had nothing to do with the temperature of the water, “I-If you’d like I guess, yeah that’s fine.” He never had anyone wash him before, not since he was like five and didn’t have the ability to clean himself. He wasn’t sure how to stand or if he should move or where his arms should go or any of that. So, he just took a step closer to where Derek was standing with the body wash and just kind of waited for him to start so he could take his cues from Derek. The body wash smelled nice from where he was standing, but it was kind of cute that Derek was embarrassed by it. As far as Stiles was concerned, soap was soap and it didn’t matter what the bottle looked like. 

"Are you sure? You can tell me no, Stiles. Please remember that," Derek asked, just wanting to make sure. He didn't think Stiles was the kind to say yes just because he thought that's what Derek wanted to hear but Derek wanted to make sure that it was what Stiles wanted too. He didn't want to over step his bounds. But Stiles was stepping closer and looking determined if embarrassed so Derek went ahead and took the sponge to his chest. He was mesmerized by the constellations of moles all over his skin and the way the hickeys he'd left stood out so starkly. It was delectable. "I like these," Derek murmured gently, playing connect the dots with a smattering of moles on Stiles' ribs. He looked up at Stiles abruptly with a seriousness to his gaze. "If you could see yourself through my eyes you would never think that you were unattractive. You're amazing, Stiles. And I'll spend everyday of my life proving that to you if you'd let me."

Stiles stared at Derek, eyes wide, mouth agape as his entire body turned red. “You- You- You,” he sputtered, “You can’t just say things like that, oh my god!” There was a strange looking smile on his face, his brows drawn together. It was easy to see that he was having some kind of internal battle between flattered and confused. “I mean, seriously, are you trying to give a guy a heart attack? Or maybe just make him explode? Listen to my heart!” Stiles exclaimed, grabbing Derek’s hand without thinking and pressing it to where his heart was racing in his chest. “You need to let a guy mentally prepare for that kind of declaration. Send me a letter, leave a memo, something,” Stiles went on, a soft smile on his face as he began to calm down a bit. He’d never experienced this kind of devotion, this kind of serious connection. He had no idea how to respond and hoped he would get used to it if Derek was going to make a habit out of saying things like that. 

Derek was worried at first that he'd said something wrong, feeling his own heart speed up in time with Stiles' and ready to backtrack. But Stiles forged on without letting Derek even try and he was smiling and so Derek started to calm down with a small smile of his own. "I can warn you next time," he said with a small teasing tilt of his eyebrows. "What should I say, do you think? 'Hey Stiles, brace yourself because I'm about to tell you how enamored I am with you.' Will that work?" He brushed his fingers over Stiles' jaw and down his neck, over his shoulder and his sides to his hip. "I am. In case you were curious. Should I warn you that I'm about to kiss you too? Or am I allowed to do that without permission first?"

Stiles sucked in a breath as Derek’s fingers gently trailed over his skin, trying not to get distracted by it as Derek spoke. “Yes, that will work,” he responded petulantly, a small pout on his lips but a playful light to his eyes, “And I said warn me so that I don’t have a heart attack, not transport to the 1950s when you have to ask to hold a girl’s hand. I’m not some fragile, wilting virgin. Okay well I am. A virgin, I mean. Not fragile and wilting. Definitely not fragile and wilting. But yeah, pretty virgin. Probably the virginest virgin to ever virgin. Sorry, I should really stop talking now. So how about that body wash?” Stiles’ face was on fire as he took the sponge from where Derek had placed it down and began rubbing it over himself hoping that maybe he could scrub so hard he would turn invisible. 

"Stiles," Derek said with a soft chuckle and brushed his hand over Stiles' hair, giving him an amused look. "I don't mind you talking and you can calm down. Just take deep breaths alight?" He leaned in to kiss Stiles' cheek tenderly and let Stiles finish washing himself so he wouldn't get more flustered. When Stiles was finished, Derek caught him around the waist and pulled him in close, sealing their lips because he was allowed. Stiles had said he was allowed so it worked in Derek's favor. 

Stiles was caught off guard by the kiss, a small surprised noise getting cutoff by Derek's lips, but he melted into it within seconds. He let his arms rest lazily over Derek's shoulders. Again, that electrifying energy sparked between them and Stiles wondered if it would ever fade. He kind of hoped not. He hadn't gotten the chance to rinse off before Derek grabbed him, so the other man was getting covered in suds. He did still need to wash. Stiles pulled away when he needed to breathe a little more, a breathless smile on his face. 

"Your turn," he said with one last, chaste kiss to Derek's lips. He got the body wash and squirted a little more onto the sponge. He started with Derek's torso. "My god, your abs really are just unfair," Stiles sighed as he let the sponge glide over them. 

Derek returned the smile that Stiles gave him. He loved how Stiles' amber eyes just seemed to light up from within when he smiled. Derek wished he would smile all the time and vowed to do his best to get Stiles to do it. He leaned into the gentle kiss Stiles gave him easily and then nodded when Stiles announced that it was his turn to wash Derek. Derek really wasn't going to complain about that one bit. He did chuckle when Stiles spoke about his abs though and said stomach muscles jumped a bit with the action and also Stiles' warm touch. 

"Well I could blame it on being a werewolf but it's not entirely accurate. I do work out," he said with a teasing grin though it was the truth at the same time. It wasn't just that he was a werewolf. Derek worked out a lot because it helped with his control and helped to burn off the extra energy he had from being an alpha. 

“All aboard the Inadequacy train to Small Muscles- ville,” Stiles murmured under his breath, a smile on his face as he did. Derek seriously was impressive to look at, though just like he had been since the beginning of the shower, Stiles avoided looking too far down. He knew that if he did, this would all be over and teenage hormonal-ness would take over in a heartbeat. Stiles really didn’t want that. Maybe later, but not this second. So, Stiles avoided Derek’s crotch like the plague, choosing instead to wash his arms and his back and his shoulders very thoroughly. He even went for under Derek’s arms, always gentle, his touches fleeting. When there was really nothing else he could do and he was in front of Derek again, Stiles blushed and handed the sponge back to him. 

“You can probably take it from here,” he muttered. He was embarrassed that he couldn’t man up enough to do it himself, but he chose to ignore that for the time being and instead turned his back to Derek and stood directly under the spray of one of the shower heads so that he could rinse his own soap off. 

"Stiles," Derek said gently as he took the offered sponge to continue washing himself. "You're not inadequate. Just because you don't look like me doesn't mean much. I couldn't care less if you don't look like me. I like that you look like you because you? You're the most attractive guy I've ever seen. You're perfect, Stiles. To me. I'll keep reminding me until it gets through that thick skull that you seem to have." He brushed his fingers over Stiles' jaw and smiled softly before leaning in to kiss his cheek. He pulled back and finished up washing himself, getting his legs and crotch and ass. He made quick work of it and then rinsed himself off, rinsed off the sponge. "Are you ready to get out now and have some breakfast? I'll call my mother and tell her what happened while I make you some pancakes alright? She'll decide what to do about Deucalion this time around. We can't turn him into the authorities without airtight evidence or he'll get off again."

Stiles was glad that Derek just moved on to keep cleaning himself, because he was pretty sure that his brain had ceased to function. Apparently, the warnings weren’t going to be a real thing because that had just come completely out of nowhere. Stiles was entirely thrown for a loop, having never experienced this level of compliments or devotion or anything at all. He was never really seen as the attractive one. People were too busy focusing on his hyperactivity or his gangly-ness or his habit of getting into things that he didn’t belong in. He turned around as Derek washed himself, shoving his face under the heated water so that he would have an excuse for why it was so red.

“I vote yes on getting off, OUT!” Stiles’ face went even redder when he realized what he said, “I meant out! I mean who doesn’t like getting off, getting off is great but in this particular instance, I meant out. Okay, yes on getting out, yes on eating pancakes, though I vote no on thinking about Deucalion in any sense.”

Derek hung the sponge back up and then pressed the buttons to shut off the water, turning to look at Stiles with lightly furrowed brows as he studied him. "Do you- is this too much, Stiles? We can back off if that's what you want, go slower, work up. It's not that I don't want it, want you because I do, believe me. But you're just all sorts of flustered and nervous and I don't want to make you uncomfortable. You don't have to be nervous around me," he said gently, reaching out of the door to grab two towels and offering one to Stiles. He thought that the sooner they covered up the sooner Stiles might be able to calm down but he wasn't sure. "I just..." he looked down to wrap the towel around his waist and then stared at the tile floor, expression vulnerable. "I don't want to go too fast if it might scare you off. I don't want to jeopardize losing you because you're...this is the first good thing that's happened to me in a very long time and I don't know what would happen to me if I lost it... if I lost you." 

Stiles thought about laughing because that was literally the most ridiculous notion he had ever heard in his life, but Derek looked completely serious and so vulnerable, that Stiles knew he had to treat this carefully. He tied his towel around his waist tightly before walking over to where Derek was standing. He took Derek’s face in both of his hands and brought him in for kiss. It was slow, and long, and deep, and Stiles pressed his body against Derek’s. 

“Let’s clarify a few things,” Stiles murmured against Derek’s lips, “One, I’m always going to be a little jittery and nervous. Side effect of ADHD. Two, being near someone as attractive as you are who says nice things about me is only going to make that worse. Three, I’m trying to keep this from moving too fast because we don’t know what this is. Until we figure out the soul bonds, I just don’t want to do anything that could endanger us or the bond or whatever. Besides that, I’m completely fine. In fact, I’m more than fine.” Stiles leaned closer to press a kiss on the corner of Derek’s lips, trailing up his jaw slowly. “I’m a hormonal teenager,” he muttered against stubble-covered skin, “I’m extremely okay with anything that involves us doing the hanky panky, when we know what’s what.”

Derek was slightly surprised when Stiles stepped into his space and forced his head up into a kiss but he wasn't protesting even the littlest bit because he always wanted to kiss Stiles. He lingered close when Stiles started talking, eyes closed so that he could take in every word. It made him feel good but he was also scared. What if everything they were feeling was just something supernatural? Or worse, what if only what Stiles was feeling was supernatural? And they lifted the bond only for Stiles to stop wanting Derek but Derek to continue feeling the same way? He supposed he would deserve it, though. 

He pulled back just enough to rest his head on Stiles' shoulder, turning his face into Stiles' neck and heaving out a breath. He tightened his arms around the younger man and just stayed there for a moment. "I'm scared," he admitted on a whisper, something he'd never told anyone before. "I've been scared for...years but this... this really scares me. It's like I'm getting a second chance that I don't even think I really deserve. I don't deserve you, Stiles, believe me. I'm not a good person, not good enough for you. And what- what happens if all of this is just...fake? What if it's not real? What if we get rid of it and- and everything just- I don't-" he tightened his arms some more and nuzzled in, "I'm just scared." He didn't know where all of the words came from. He was certain he'd never shared that much personal stuff in...well probably ever. He wasn't the kind to put his fears on anyone else or let someone see his weaknesses. But standing there in the steamy shower, so close and intimate with Stiles in their own little world, he felt safe even if it still terrified him to step out of the shower and back into his real life. 

“You really don’t see how great you are do you?” Stiles whispered gently, more to himself than to Derek. He brought his hand up to rest against the back of Derek’s head, petting him ever so slightly just to soothe him. Part of Stiles was completely convinced that sex would solve all their problems, but he knew that wasn’t logical. He had to keep from making any rash decisions or doing anything stupid. So, instead of rutting against Derek like a rabbit the way that he wanted to, Stiles tilted his hips away a bit and continued to rub Derek soothingly. 

“How about this,” Stiles said softly, giving Derek’s hair a small tug to tell him to pick his head up, “How about we put on some clothes, you go downstairs and make breakfast while you call your mom, and I’ll do some reading. The faster we figure out what this is and how it works, the faster we can put your fears to rest, alright?” Honestly, Stiles didn’t know if finding out more would actually put Derek’s fears to rest. He had no idea what he would find in that book. For all Stiles knew, this bond could be breakable or it could be influencing the way that the two of them were acting and he wasn’t so sure he wanted to find that out if that was the case. Still, he knew that neither of them would be able to do this with a clear conscience if they didn’t know exactly what was going on. “Come on,” he said quietly, pulling away and grabbing Derek’s hand instead to lead him out and into the main room. He deposited the werewolf by his dresser with a kiss on his cheek and went over to the plastic bag of clothes he had brought up two nights ago. He dug through it until he found a pair of boxer briefs to slide on under his towel, only letting it drop when they were all the way on. He picked out a random pair of sweatpants, not really in the mood to put on real pants. 

"Alright, okay," Derek agreed gently, letting Stiles lead him back to the bedroom. He got dressed efficiently and glanced over to see Stiles hadn't donned a shirt yet so he took a deep breath and grabbed an extra from his drawer. "Stiles, could- would you mind?" he asked, stepping closer to his... What were they? Didn't matter. He held out the shirt almost nervously - it was nothing special, just a plain grey t-shirt. "It uh, you'll smell more like me if you- but you don't have to. I just.." He shrugged, twisting the grey fabric in his fingers nervously and then looking up at Stiles with hopefulness in his eyes but also a bit of resignation like he was waiting to be told that he was dumb and Stiles could wear his own shirt. Derek wouldn't be mad or anything. Stiles could say no to anything if he didn't want to do it. Derek wouldn't force him into anything. 

“Sure,” Stiles said with a small shrug, “No big deal.” He took the shirt from Derek with a smile and slipped it on. In all honesty, he still didn’t completely understand the importance of scenting and he probably never would since he was human. He got that it was an instinct and that it was some kind of marking mechanism, but that was with real wolves. Scenting instincts mixed with human emotions made it more difficult to understand and more difficult to explain. Still, he didn’t see a problem with wearing Derek’s shirt. If he had, he would have said so. He reach up and gave Derek’s shoulder a reassuring squeeze before walking over to where he had packed away the book from the last time he was reading it. He wanted to get this settled now. He slid it out of the packaging carefully, opening up to the last page he had read before settling on the futon. “I’ll tell you as soon as I find something,” Stiles said to Derek, his eyes already scanning the pages, “But make sure to come get me while the pancakes are still warm.”

Derek watched Stiles slip on the shirt with relief settling into his bones and then tracked his movements over to the futon. He nodded at Stiles' words and gave a small smile. "I'll bring them up when they're ready," he promised and lingered a moment before heading downstairs. Cooking was something that Derek's parents taught him and it soothed his nerves, glancing back towards the back yard every few minutes. He called his mother while he was cooking to explain what happened and she assured him that she and his father and Laura would be down soon to handle the situation. Apparently they'd been waiting to get Deucalion in a place where they had the upper hand. Derek would be content to let them deal with it themselves honestly. He didn't want to have to think on it too hard. When the blueberry pancakes were ready he smeared on some maple butter and then heaped a generous amount of blueberry compote on each stack. He loaded their plates with pancakes and bacon and got two glasses of orange juice before loading it all onto a tray and carrying it upstairs. "Breakfast," he said gently, pushing open the door with his hip and closing it with his foot. "I hope you're hungry."

Stiles was speed-reading, though he made sure not to lose himself completely into it. When he did, he tended to be a little violent when he turned the pages and he didn’t want to damage the book. It was something precious for Derek, and Stiles was going to keep that in mind. It felt like hours that he’d been reading and getting nowhere, though it was honestly no more than a half hour. Still, he’d made it through thirty more pages. He was about to put the book down and see where Derek was with breakfast when something finally caught his eye. It was a personal entry that had been copied in from someone’s journal. A lot of it was mushy romantic crap, but smack in the middle were those words. Soul bond. Stiles was seconds away from leaping up to tell Derek when the werewolf entered the room.

“C’mere!” Stiles said excitedly, waving his hand quickly to gesture Derek over, “Listen to this, I found something literally five seconds ago. It’s a journal entry. 

‘I have never met another who has understood me so deeply, so completely. There is not one part of me that I wish to hide from him. We are one in the same. It is as though a piece of me that I never knew was missing has been found. He completes me. We are a soul bond. There is no other feeling like it in this universe, to be reunited so that a fragmented soul may become one again. We were meant to find each other. It was written in the stars. We were born for each other, created purely to bring the other happiness. Part of him rests within me and part of myself rests within him, but now two souls have been made whole. We have consummated our bond under the eyes of fate.’”

Stiles looked up when he finished reading, nearly bouncing in his seat. Sure, it was a personal account and there was hopefully a more concrete definition further on, but it was a start. They were once step closer. 

Derek startled slightly at Stiles' reaction but he hurried over when Stiles said he found something. He set the food down on the table and moved to sit by Stiles. Without even thinking about it he put his arm around the younger man's waist and read along with Stiles over his shoulder, listening to the words being spoken and reading them concreted them in his mind. "It's us," he mumbled softly, eyes skimming down the rest of the page. He swallowed thickly and then shook his head, gently taking the book and setting it aside. "We should eat first. Then we'll keep reading. My mother will be here in a couple of hours and we can ask her about it some more if we don't get all of the answers we want okay?" 

Stiles allowed the book to be taken from him and he responded with a huffed “Okay.” It wasn’t that he was angry with Derek for making him stop, but Stiles had been in the zone and they were so close to answers. A heavenly smell hit Stiles’ nose and he looked down at the table, his stomach growling in immediate response. “Holy crap, that smells amazing,” Stiles said with a smile. The two plates looked exactly alike, so he grabbed the one closest to him and stuffed some bacon in his mouth as he went about cutting his pancakes. “Oh Jesus lord, I was right,” Stiles moaned as he chewed. He wasn’t the most polite eater, but everyone would always know when he liked his food. As soon as a chunk of pancake was free from the rest, Stiles shoved that into his mouth and had the exact same reaction but even better, or worse depending on how you look at it. “I feel like I’m being seduced by food,” Stiles groaned, “And I think it’s working.”

Derek blushed lightly at Stiles' strong reactions to his cooking. The noises coming from his mouth would make a porn star blush but that wasn't really the point and Derek didn't need to be thinking about porn and Stiles at the same time. Really. He didn't. "I'm, uh," he cleared his throat and gave a lopsided smile, glancing at Stiles sideways. "I'm glad you like it. S'my grandma's recipe actually." He ate a bit more neatly, cutting into his pancakes with practiced motions and scooping a neat bite into his mouth. He had to admit that these were the best pancakes he'd made yet and wondered if it had anything to do with Stiles being the one he was making them for. Maybe he was just better utilizing his talents and focusing better now that he had someone who made him genuinely happy. 

Stiles didn't really have anything like old family recipes handed down through generations, but his father did show him how to bone and grill a fish really well. Maybe he would get the chance to show Derek sometime. They are the rest of their meal in comfortable silence, trading a few shy looks and small smiles as they did. It was almost funny to see Derek looking shy, because his outward appearance was so intimidating. Stiles supposed this was new for the both of them and that made him feel better. He shamelessly licked his plate when he was done with his food, figuring that Derek had seen him do worse. When he was done he scooted down on the couch, away from the food, before picking up the book again to continue reading. The journal entry was a personal account and Stiles had to know if they were speaking metaphorically about the souls or not. "Hey, I think this might be a real definition," he said to Derek a few moments later, " 'A soul bond is a literal bonding of souls. The connection exists between two people when, at birth, their souls were split in half. One half remains with the owner while the other goes to the respective partner and vice versa.' " Stiles paused for a moment. Part of Derek's soul was inside him?

"So...basically...we were made for each other?" Derek asked with furrowed brows, scanning over that page and the next but that was the only thing on soul bonds. Did that mean he and Stiles had a choice in it or was that taken away too? Did feelings have to exist there first and then they were just exemplified or what? He turned the page in vain hope and surprisingly found another small snippet of text, pointing it out. "'Affection towards the other must first be felt on both accounts for the soul bond to be truly bound. Those affections grow rapidly, the feeling of falling in love sped up a hundred fold so as to reunite the souls as quickly as possible," he read quietly, mind going at a thousand miles per hour. "So...our souls were- were split when we were born and half of mine is in you and half of yours is in me and the only way for the bond to really be...activated, for lack of a better word, is for feelings to already be developing. So...it's not- it's real, right? What we're feeling? That's what it's telling us?"

Stiles re-read the small chunk of words that Derek had read out loud three more time to make sure that there wasn't some weird hidden meaning. "I think that's what it says," Stiles said slowly, scanning the rest of the page to be sure, "So basically what was supposed to take months took us days." It made sense now that they had all the information. He and Derek had gotten close extraordinarily quickly. It had seemed a bit unnatural, but Stiles supposed that for them it was completely natural. It was nice to know that they had free reign over his own feelings and that he wasn't being forced into anything. All of these thought and others ran rampant through Stiles' head. He realized that he was being very quiet, so Stiles closed the book gently and wrapped it back up in the special packaging. In one fluid movement, Stiles straddled Derek's thighs where he was sitting on the couch and rested his arms over the man's shoulders. "So we were doing a thing last night that I really wouldn't mind continuing and it involved some lips on skin and some movement of hips and you said we had a couple hours until your family got here right?" Stiles said, tilting his head to the side in question when he finished talking. Now that he knew everything was on the up and up, there was nothing stopping him from going for it. A teenage boy could only resist reciprocated feelings for so long. 

Derek was lost to this thoughts as well, both quiet as they worked through it on their own. He was filled with relief that this was something real and something that wasn't supernatural. Or at least wasn't unnatural or forced on them. He came out of his head when Stiles took the book and wrapped it up carefully, his fingers working slow and steady so he wouldn't damage the book. He was a surprised to say the least when Stiles climbed up into his lap and leaned in close but Derek's hands went to his hips automatically, holding him tightly. "We have a couple hours," Derek confirmed with a nod, eyes wide but not displeased in the least. He studied Stiles' face but there was no hesitation or uncertainty so Derek leaned in to kiss him soft and slow, wanting to go slow and work their way up to more. "Do- would you like to move to the bed?" he offered between kisses, unable to stop his hands from roaming underneath Stiles' t-shirt to get at soft skin. 

Stiles followed Derek’s pace, letting him control the kiss. Sure, part of him wanted to get a move on, but he didn’t mind going slow. It might be better that way, being able to really focus on the sensations and figuring out exactly what the other person liked. Stiles’ fingers slid through Derek’s hair and his body arched into Derek’s touch when he ran his hands over Stiles’ bare skin. “Bed is fine,” Stiles mumbled, already getting a bit worked up, “Here is fine, the floor is fine, the wall is fine, outside, inside, in a car, on a plane, anywhere you want really is perfectly fine.” He honestly couldn’t care less where they were as long as they were touching. That was definitely the most important part. They had to be touching. It occurred to some small part of Stiles that when Derek’s family came, they were going to be able to tell exactly what had happened between them and even though that was a little embarrassing, Stiles found that he didn’t care enough to stop. He was kind of proud, that someone like Derek actually wanted to get with him. He’d announce it to the world if he could. 

Derek chuckled softly against Stiles' mouth and pulled back enough to pull the t-shirt off of him, leaning in to kiss his cheek. "Anywhere is fine with me," he agreed and then stood up smoothly, taking Stiles with him and getting Stiles' legs around his waist. He carried him over to the large bed and laid him down, taking a moment to admire him there before crawling over him, covering Stiles' body with his own. "Is it too soon to admit that I'm probably falling in love with you?" he asked on a low whisper, ghosting his lips over Stiles' bare collarbone where the line of dark hickeys still stayed. "Because I think I might be. A lot." 

Stiles blushed when Derek stopped to seemingly admire him and he immediately felt the urge to cover himself out of habit. He never got the chance though, since Derek promptly laid down on top of Stiles. The weight of Derek’s body was warm and grounding and Stiles couldn’t think of anywhere else he would rather be. “Well, supposedly that’s an extremely normal for our situation,” Stiles blurted out, face pink as he watched Derek trace the line of hickeys he left last night, “And it’s possible that I myself could maybe feel a similar way as well possibly.” Stiles didn’t know why he couldn’t just say it straight out, but his mind was a little all over the place right now as he waited for Derek to do something. 

Derek pressed his smile into Stiles' shoulder and stayed there a moment before pulling back, letting one hand stray bravely down to cup him through his sweat pants where Stiles already seemed to be quite interested in the proceedings. "Tell me what you want, Stiles," Derek requested quietly. "I'm not good at this tell me- do you want me to use my hand or- or my mouth? Do you want to go slow or all the way or just part of the way? I'm okay with anything I just. I want to make this good for you. Tell me what you want?"

“Well you’re off to a pretty fucking good start,” Stiles gasped, eyes slamming shut as he shamelessly arched into Derek’s hand, biting down hard on his lip as he did. If he was only half hard before, he was completely ready to go now. He stayed quiet for a moment until he was sure he could speak in full sentences. “This isn’t just about me,” Stiles said, slowly opening his eyes again to look at Derek. Stiles’ skin was already beginning to flush, his pupils starting to dilate. “This is about what you want too,” he went on. Stiles wasn’t all that experienced on anything sexual, but he knew how to give himself a handjob, so he figured he could do the same for Derek. After a brief moment of hesitation caused by insecurity, Stiles reached down to cup Derek as well. “H-Hands tod-day?” Stiles stammered out, surprised by how touching Derek made him feel good as well. 

Derek gasped softly when he felt Stiles' hand cupping his dick and he arched into the touch greedily, all but begging for more. He nodded fiercely and made a soft noise of pleasure deep in his chest. "Y-yea, hands. Good okay," he agreed easily, pretty much soft as clay in Stiles' hands when it came to anything he wanted to do. If Stiles wanted him to wear lace underwear he'd probably do it even if it felt weird. "Should- pants should be gone-" he said with a nod, swallowing thickly and looking to Stiles for confirmation as he slipped his fingers underneath the elastic of Stiles' sweats and boxers. 

“Clothes, why are we even wearing clothes?” Stiles muttered as he began tugging on the shirt Derek hadn’t taken off yet, lifting his hips enough so that Derek could slide off his own articles of clothing. The werewolf’s fingers, even though they just barely touched his skin, felt hot like brands and Stiles wanted to feel them everywhere. His heart was thundering in his chest and Stiles felt warm all over. He wanted everything off as quickly as possible so that Derek’s hand could resume its position on Stiles’ cock where it most definitely belonged. He nearly moaned at the thought and scrabbled to get rid of his own pants and Derek’s. 

Derek helped Stiles get rid of their clothes as best he could manage, ending up with both of them getting caught or tangled in some manner or other. Eventually they were freed though and naked again just as they'd been in the shower only now Derek was allowed to touch and he definitely wanted to touch. He ran a hand down Stiles' body, keeping propped on a forearm so he could watch Stiles' face when he finally reached the trail of dark hair under his belly button, following it down until his fingers brushed over Stiles' cock and then wrapped around confidently. 

When they were finally naked, Stiles was looking to get the show on the road, but it seemed that Derek was content to take his time. His hands trailed fire down Stiles’ body and when a large hand finally reached his cock, he let out an embarrassingly high-pitched moan, one that he would probably deny later. Stiles immediately thrust into Derek’s hand without thinking, biting down on his lip, used to trying to keep quiet if he ever did this in the encampment. He forgot for a moment that he was supposed to be touching Derek as well, but as soon as he remembered, Stiles reached down and took Derek’s cock in his hand. The angle was weird, but that didn’t stop Stiles from giving a few slow strokes. 

Derek let out an involuntary noise when Stiles' calloused hand wrapped around his cock and he arched into it, shaking with the pleasure that shot through his body, down his spine. "D-Don't be quiet," he begged, mouthing at Stiles' neck and sighing out through his nose. "I want to hear you, Stiles. Please." He sucked in another mark just beneath Stiles' ear that would be pretty impossible to cover up this time, unlike the easily concealable ones he'd put on Stiles' collarbone. He started to move his hand, pulling back and staring down at Stiles' face like he was something amazing and precious to be cherished, like he was something Derek never wanted to lose. 

Stiles’ eyes were shut, but his face was completely bare and open. His skin was flushed with pleasure, his jaw slack. Small moans tumbled from his lips, soft groans, whatever noise he would usually try to keep in, he let out. Every spot where Derek’s lips touched was lit up like a neon sign and Stiles bared his neck in a silent request for more, for anything, for contact. They were so far apart, too far apart. Stiles wanted to crawl inside of Derek and make himself a home. He tried to move his hand with the same pace as Derek’s, not wanting to forget about the werewolf’s pleasure. His free hand was curled into the sheets, pulling at them, wrinkling them, anchoring him. 

Derek growled low in his throat as Stiles bared his own to Derek and he leaned in, unable to resist the temptation as he closed his mouth over Stiles' pulse point. He bit down with blunt human teeth, just hard enough to leave a faint red mark that would fade in an hour or two. He pulled back and soothed his tongue over the mark to ease the sting, working his hand a bit faster around Stiles. He was already getting close himself; a combination of not getting laid in a very, very long time and also the fact that it was Stiles and Stiles did a lot of things to his libido. "I'm close Stiles," he gasped out softly, rolling his hips forward slowly into Stiles' hand. 

Stiles was breathing hard now, every other exhale a moan. He couldn’t think about anything besides Derek, Derek, Derek. Stiles adjusted the speed of his hand when Derek did, wanting them to be experiencing the same thing together. His hips had found a special rhythm and Stiles fucked into Derek’s fist shamelessly, chasing the pleasure. He could feel a familiar feeling coiling up inside of him and he knew that he was close as well. Stiles had known that this wasn’t going to last very long from the beginning. “Fuck, Derek,” he moaned, desperate for more, though he didn’t know more of what. Acting on his feelings, Stiles took the hand that had been tangled in the sheets and threw it over Derek’s shoulder, his palm laying flat in the middle of the werewolf’s back. He pressed down. He knew that he couldn’t actually make Derek move, but the older man would get the idea that Stiles wanted more points of contact between them. 

Derek moved over Stiles, pushing himself into Stiles' fist in time with the rhythm they had had fallen into. Stiles' hand working Derek and Derek's hand working Stiles and their hips canting forward. It was like a dance and somehow they seemed to be masters at it already. Pleasure was curling white hot in the pit of Derek's belly, coiling up tighter and tighter and threatening to explode but he tried to hold it back, wanting to come at the same time as Stiles did. He let the younger man pull him closer, doing whatever he wanted without any sort of hesitation. "C'mon Stiles, c'mon. I'm so close. Want you to come with me," he begged against Stiles' mouth, kissing him sloppily and unable to really keep it up because of the way they were both moving against each other. "Come on, Stiles." 

Stiles had thought maybe he would last a bit longer, but then Derek started talking. He started murmuring against Stiles lips in that voice, saying his name, asking him to come. Stiles was done for. His orgasm came crashing through him before Derek even finished the second gentle request, the werewolf’s name on his lips. It was different from any other that Stiles had experienced and he suspected that Derek had something to do with that. Stiles would never be able to give himself a satisfying handjob again, not after this. His nails dug into Derek’s back, leaving scratches that would be gone within minutes. Part of him wished they would stay, just so he could have some kind of mark on Derek, but it was a fleeting thought. Somehow, Stiles managed to keep aware of Derek and his needs despite his own intense pleasure. Later, Stiles will probably be proud of that. 

Derek gave into his pleasure mere seconds after Stiles, tumbling over the edge into his orgasm and calling out Stiles' name for anyone around to hear though there wasn't actually anyone around in the first place. He came in hot sticky white stripes over Stiles' belly and his eyes went red but his fangs and claws didn't come out to play. He couldn't help but love the way his come looked over Stiles' pale skin as he stared down at the younger man for a moment before collapsing on top of him despite the mess. He really hoped Stiles wouldn't mind his weight but he felt boneless and needed a moment to collect himself before he could even attempt anything. "Jesus fuck Stiles," he gasped out against Stiles' neck, breathing so heavily he was practically panting. "You were- that was- and I just- fuck." He nuzzled in close and maybe wiggled around just slightly so that the mess between them, their mingled scents, really sank into his own and Stiles' skin. He didn't want to smell like anyone other than Stiles and he wanted Stiles to smell like him and sex. He wanted everyone to know that Stiles was his and no one else's. It wasn't as deep as he'd eventually like it to be but they would get to the actual...penetration part later and then no one would dare even look at Stiles wrong without worrying about being on the receiving end of someone's wrath. Everyone knew how protective an alpha was over his partner and he and Stiles were much, much more than just partners now. They were...soul mates. As cheesy as it was. It was true. 

Stiles was completely breathless. He was playing around with the idea that he may have actually died. Death by orgasm. It seemed like a fitting way for a teenage boy to go. Stiles’ mind was completely fried as he lay there underneath Derek. The older man was heavy, but not so heavy that it was uncomfortable. Stiles could feel him wiggling ever so slightly, mixing up the mess the lay between their abdomens. He figured it had something to do with scenting, so Stiles didn’t bring it up. It didn’t really bother him anyway. Sure, it would be a bitch to clean up later but Stiles doubted he could lift his own arms right now, so it was a moot point. He let out a breathless laugh at Derek’s words. “Right back at you, big guy,” he chuckled, moving his neck to allow Derek more room to nuzzle or cuddle or rub or whatever it was he needed to do. Stiles actually liked how close Derek wanted to stay after sex. It made it feel more real and less like a quick lay, which he knew it wasn’t in the first place, but Stiles wasn’t going to hold himself to anything he thought or said while in his current state. They laid silently together for a few minutes, both of them trying to get the air back in their lungs as they came down from their post-orgasm high. “What do I smell like?” Stiles asked, suddenly curious, “Do I smell better to you now after this? Is there a purpose to it, or is it just instinct when you scent someone… romantically?” He could probably find these answers if he wanted, but Derek was right here in front of him and asking Derek didn’t involve any moving. 

"You smell perfect," Derek answered with a soft, gentle rumble deep in his chest. His voice was muffled where his face was pressed into Stiles' neck, rubbing his face over his soft skin and trying to absorb as much of Stiles' scent into himself as he could. "You smell like me and sex and you. You smell happy like green apples but not that artificial crap, like fresh apples in an orchard. You smell like you always do, like limes and strawberries and fresh cut grass and rain and dirt and sweat. I've never smelt anything more enticing." He licked out against Stiles' pulse point, his skin salty with sweat from their activities. "You- it's just like...claiming, I suppose. After this and especially after we...you know, go further, it'll warn the other werewolves away. They'll know not to touch you inappropriately or harm you without risking making me angry. And people know that I'm not someone to make an enemy out of considering who my family is. My family is your family now too, you know. Everything that's mine is yours. I'll give you everything, Stiles." 

Stiles stayed quiet as Derek spoke, intent on taking in the information. It was definitely interesting stuff. He had no idea that emotions had scents, or that he himself smelled like so many different things. He wasn’t sure how he felt about the fact that he still smelled like dirt even after a shower, but if Derek wasn’t complaining then he supposed he didn’t have to worry about it. Stiles hadn’t known that scent played such a big factor with other werewolves. Derek has more or less just placed a neon sign over his head saying ‘Taken. Do Not Touch.’ Stiles kind of liked the idea of that. It made things easier at any rate to figure out who was available and who wasn’t. Sure, that didn’t stop some people, but that was beside the point. 

Stiles was touched by Derek’s willingness to just share every aspect of his life with him. He was just so open and honest to Stiles and it made him feel loved. Cherished. Trusted. Stiles wrapped his arms around Derek lazily and held him in a loose hug. “If I had anything to give, it would be yours,” he murmured. He would be completely alright with just staying like this the rest of the day, but Derek’s family was coming and he would prefer to not be naked and covered in come when they did. “We should wipe ourselves up before it gets itchy,” Stiles said after another second. 

"You don't have to give me anything. Just you is enough," Derek murmured softly against Stiles' skin and pulled back to kiss him soft and sweet and slow for a long moment. When Stiles suggested getting cleaned up Derek sighed and nodded, pulling away slowly. "Stay here. I'll go get a wash cloth okay?" he said and stole one more kiss before forcing himself back and off the bed. He padded completely naked into the bathroom, unashamed as he disappeared. He grabbed a clean cloth and ran the water until it went hot, soaking the washcloth through. He cleaned himself up first and then rinsed the cloth again so it was clean, squeezing out the excess water before heading back. He climbed up onto the bed beside Stiles and lay down again, carefully wiping Stiles down to clean him up. He was careful not to pay too much attention to Stiles' cock in case he was still a bit sensitive and once he was clean Derek tossed the wash cloth away, laying close to Stiles and reaching for him. "Do you mind staying here a bit longer? I'm not ready to get up just yet," he asked, hoping Stiles would let him cuddle up beside him again. All Derek felt like doing now was being close to Stiles, now that he knew he was allowed to keep him and touch him and hold him. It was perfect really. 

Stiles rested his eyes, waiting for Derek to return. It was a nice feeling, being so perfectly tired after doing what they just did. Stiles felt like, no matter what happened for the rest of the day, he wouldn’t care. He was just that relaxed and content. Stiles opened his eyes when he heard Derek walking back, prepared to take the wash cloth to clean himself, but Derek seemed quite happy to take care of everything for him. It made Stiles blush a bit, but there was a happy little smile on his face. He considered putting his underwear back on once he was clean, but a turn of his head told him that he and Derek had more or less flung their clothes across the room and Stiles didn’t feel like getting up to go and get them. Instead of answering Derek’s question, Stiles just smiled and wrapped his arms around Derek, bringing them close together. He threaded his fingers through the older man’s hair and brought him in for a lazy kiss. Stiles’ cock gave a valiant and painful twitch at the proximity, causing him to flinch. “Down boy,” he muttered, talking to himself as he glanced down. Without another word, Stiles moved up until Derek would be able to fit his face in the crook of his neck, knowing how much he liked it. “Wake me up when your family gets here,” he said softly, his eyes already drifting shut. 

Derek went easily towards Stiles and kissed him back with fervor, leaning into him heavily and wrapping him up. He loved to be close to Stiles. It was something he was quickly becoming attached to. When Stiles laid back, Derek curled into his side, head on Stiles' chest and face buried in his neck like Stiles allowed. He smiled into Stiles' neck and nodded at his request to be woken up. "I'll let you know when I hear them coming down the road. It'll wake me up anyways," he said, yawning a bit and letting his eyes slip shut. "Take a nap Stiles. It's been a stressful morning."

Stiles was asleep before Derek even finished speaking. It had been a stressful morning. Deucalion was still out there after his botched kidnapping attempt. Part of Stiles was curious as to what Deucalion had actually had in mind. He mentioned masking Stiles’ scent or something so that it would be harder for Derek to find him. Did he have some kind of elaborate game set up? Did he just want to fight Derek or did he want more time with Stiles before Derek showed up? These questions rested in Stiles’ mind without him even knowing as he slept, curled into Derek. He felt safe and protected and he slept soundly.


	9. Chapter 9

Derek only woke up again when he heard the sound of tires turning off asphalt onto the gravel road that led the way to Derek's house, groaning softly and tightening his arms around Stiles. "Stiles," he mumbled sleepily, shaking him gently awake. "Stiles, my family is gonna be here in about five minutes or so. We should probably put on clothes." He didn't make a move to get up though, too comfortable where he was, wrapped up tightly in Stiles' body and warm as he could be even though werewolves typically ran pretty hot. 

“What happened to the whole no modesty among werewolves thing?” Stiles grumbled sleepily in return. He gave himself another few seconds before he opened his eyes. Honestly, he didn’t really want Derek’s family to see him naked, so he pressed a soft kiss to Derek’s temple before wiggling out of the werewolf’s grasp. He knew that his absence would make Derek wake up as well. Stiles stumbled over to his pants and underwear, pulling them on as he picked up Derek’s and threw them towards the bed for him. He found the shirt that Derek had asked him to wear and pulled it on, figuring it would make him happy. “Come on, we have a dirt bag to dispose of,” Stiles said with a large yawn. 

"There is no modesty but that doesn't mean I want everyone to see you naked," Derek pointed out, wanting to keep Stiles to himself. He wasn't interested in sharing. He made a noise of protest when Stiles wiggled away but he sighed and took his clothes when they were tossed to him, pulling them on. He stood up and moved towards Stiles once they were both dressed, pulling him close as the car got closer. "So...what does this mean for us?" he asked quietly, tilting his head curiously. "What do we tell people we are to each other? Boyfriends? Soul mates? That sounds cheesy."

Stiles’ arms hung lazily around Derek’s waist as he thought. The question had honestly never occurred to him. Did they have to have a label? It would make things a little easier, and saying they were soul mates did sound a little too high school even if it was technically true. “I don’t really have a preference,” Stiles finally decided, “Soul mates, boyfriends, partners, mates, just ‘together’. There probably aren’t really words to put a label on what this is.” Maybe if he read a little more in the book, he would see what the owner of the journal entry had called themselves. It would be worth a shot later, but for now they had something to deal with. “Come on,” Stiles said, stepping away but taking Derek’s hand, “Let’s go pretend to be not completely horrible hosts and open the door for your family.”

 

"Mates," Derek hummed quietly, liking the way it sounded rolling off his tongue. He nodded at Stiles' suggestion of going to let his family in but he hesitated, reaching out. "Wait, just," he gave a shy little smile and tugged Stiles in again, arms going around him and hugging him tightly he murmured, "I'm glad it was you." He pulled back to press a sweet kiss to Stiles' cheek, giving him a small smile just as he heard the doors of a car opening and closing outside. "Come on. We should go downstairs," he hummed, pulling away and keeping just Stiles' hand. He led Stiles downstairs and reached the door at the same time as his parents and he pulled it open.   
"Are you alright?" Talia asked immediately, stepping in and looking Stiles over with wide brown eyes, searching his face. "Deucalion didn't hurt you at all?" Her worry was obvious in her features, Derek's father standing back quietly beside Colby, Talia and Teddy's second in command. Derek's father looked much like Derek but a bit stockier, slightly shorter with a wider squarer jaw. Their eyes were identical though. Colby was taller than Derek, though, but thinner also, more lean compared to Derek's bulk. He had sandy blonde hair pulled back in a ponytail and a beard that he was starting to grow, eyes dark blue and jaw sharp. He flashed Derek a small smile, arms crossed, but then went back to waiting for Talia and Stiles to finish so they could go find Deucalion. 

Stiles flushed light pink at Derek’s words and he had no idea what to say, so he just returned the hug, hoping it would convey his feelings. They were both wading in strange waters here and were both more or less winging it. It seemed to be working well enough for them for now. Stiles allowed Derek to lead him downstairs, deciding that he would rather have the werewolf between him and Derek’s family. He wasn’t sure how they were going to react to what happened, but it always helped to have a bit of a buffer. Evidently, that didn’t matter with Talia. She was in Stiles’ space in a second, eyes scanning over his body, searching for injuries. 

“I’m fine,” Stiles reassured her, “Really. Just a few bumps and bruises, nothing I haven’t had before.”

“What exactly happened?” Talia asked, “Derek was rather vague over the phone.” She gave her son a look that said he had to use more words in these situations before turning back to Stiles. 

“I went for a run in the morning, I stepped over the property line, one of Deucalion’s betas tackled me to the ground, I screamed, and then Deucalion drugged me. I’m not sure how much time I lost, but Derek intervened pretty quickly I think.” Talia listened intently and though they weren’t in front of him, Stiles could tell that the other two were as well. 

“Derek said you confined him?” Teddy questioned.

“Yeah,” Stiles answered with a nod, “Derek had me do something with the dirt and then say a bunch of words in some language over and over and he said it worked.” The concern was nice, but it was even nicer when Stiles thought about how soon Deucalion wouldn’t be a problem for them anymore. He almost wanted to go and give the alpha is own two cents, but he wasn’t sure if he’d be able to. Not after just being reminded how weak he really was. 

Talia's brows raised but it was Colby who spoke up. "You showed him the containment spell? And it worked without mountain ash?" he asked with obvious surprise but he looked very much impressed, eyeing Stiles up quietly for a moment. "He's stronger than Deaton originally thought. What did you use instead of mountain ash or rowan?"

"Mistletoe, buried in the dirt around Deucalion in a circle," Derek answered solemnly and all three elders made faces of approval and intrigue. 

"Even harder to utilize complete power of. I'm impressed, Stiles," Talia said and then hugged him tight and brief. "Teddy, Colby and I will take care of it, alright? You both are too close to this to handle well. You know the authorities won't do much so it'll be up to us. We'll transport him back to our property." 

Derek nodded gravely. "We'll show you where he is. Stiles will need to lift the containment," he said regretfully, like he wanted Stiles to be nowhere near Deucalion again but Talia shook her head, raising a hand. 

"It's no need. Deaton was on his way as well. He should be here soon to lift it and you can escort him when he arrives. We'll follow by scent. I would like to have a word with Deucalion," Talia explained and Derek relaxed visibly. "And Derek? I would like to have a conversation with you and Stiles also before we leave alright?" 

Derek blushed but nodded, glaring at Colby when the man pretended to wave a hand in front of his nose from a bad smell. Teddy squeezed Derek's shoulder as the three passed to the back door, giving both him and Stiles a smile. "I'm happy for you both," he said quietly and then the three were outside, stripping down and shifting into their wolves. There may be little modesty within packs but Derek still looked away because it was still his parents and he didn't want to willingly see them naked. He wasn't seven and curious about bodies anymore. 

Stiles had zoned out for most of the rest of the conversation, though he hadn’t meant to. He just knew it didn’t concern him so he didn’t really feel an overwhelming need to listen in. Until he heard his name, that is. It took him a moment to catch on. Talia’s words and gently pointed look, along with Colby’s joking gesture, but as soon as Stiles realized that they knew what he and Derek had done mere hours before, his face burned bright red. Damn werewolves. He wasn’t sure how he was going to be able to deal with everyone being able to know everything about anything that he did. How would he ever surprise any of them? Maybe being an emissary would help with that. 

“God, that was mortifying,” Stiles groaned, leaning against the nearest wall and letting his still-red face thump against it with his eyes closed, “How do you deal with that? I mean, my dad and I barely even made it through the sex talk in one piece and that was way before I had even ever done anything.” He could still remember that painful twenty minutes with stark clarity and the way that he and his father had stuttered through all the awkwardness of the conversation topic because neither of them wanted to think about the other knowing or doing anything that had to do with sex. 

Stiles cracked his eyes open to look at Derek. Perfect Derek. He still really couldn’t believe that this man truly wanted to be with him. Derek was gorgeous. He could get any person on this earth to present themselves just by saying hello. Stiles was nothing like that. He was still a gangly teenager, and yet this person, no, this man wanted to be with him. It was mind-boggling. Honestly, despite all the proclamations that made Stiles’ heart melt and his face flame, he was still insecure. What could Derek see in someone as young and average as him? He didn’t want to voice any of his worries, just because he knew that Derek would be perfect and he would reassure Stiles, telling him that none of that was true about himself and that Stiles was amazing. Still, he couldn’t help but worry. 

"I guess it's just something you get used to," Derek answered with a slightly apologetic smile, rubbing his thumb over Stiles' knuckles to try to soothe him a bit. He shifted closer to his… mate – (Mate? He was pretty sure he liked that the best. It sounded more serious than boyfriend,) - and reached up to trail his fingers over the soft skin of Stiles' jaw, down his neck to press over the dark hickeys he'd left there. He wondered what Stiles was thinking about when the younger man cracked his eyes open to look at Derek, their gazes locking. Derek thought Stiles looked sad and wondered why, thought maybe it was because of his father. Derek would offer again later to try and find Stiles' father. Hopefully he hadn't gotten too far and Derek had some friends who would help, who also shared Derek's thoughts on human slavery being wrong, who would leave the encampment in peace and try to talk Stiles' father into coming with them. "Penny for your thoughts?" he asked quietly, quirking his lips in a small curious smile. "Everything okay?" 

Stiles smiled back at Derek but he could see the concern in the man's eyes. He didn't want to say what was really wrong, but he couldn't lie either. It was a tough spot to be in. Damn werewolves. Still, he didn't want Derek to worry. Stiles never wanted anyone to have to worry about him. It was just the way he was. He would do just about anything to help someone that asked him for it, but he almost never wanted to let anyone else help him. His father had told him more than once how stupid it was when it had caused Stiles to get into trouble. Stiles knew it was dumb, but he wasn't always thinking about himself, much more often about others. 

"Everything's fine," Stiles said quietly, averting his eyes and breaking their gaze, "I'm just thinking." There, that wasn't really a lie. He could be thinking about anything. His dad, Deucalion, Derek. Hell, he could be thinking about breakfast for all Derek knew. Stiles smiled a bit wider for Derek and pulled the man down to him for a gentle kiss, something to reassure him. Seconds later, there was a knock at the door. Deaton. "I've got it," Stiles murmured against Derek's lips, loathing to pull away. Still, he did and he went to answer the door.

"Good afternoon, Stiles," Deaton said with a smile.

"Good afternoon," Stiles replied with a nod. 

"Talia called me," Deaton said as he came in, "What you've done is very impressive. You have more potential than I realized. Training you would be an honor, should you decide to become an emissary." Stiles face went pink. 

"Thank you," Stiles muttered as they walked back to where Derek was. He would need to lead Deaton to Deucalion.

Derek was happy and something warm settled in his chest when Stiles was the one to initiate their next kiss; he felt like since the first couple of times it had always been him who was the one to lean in first and press their lips together. It reminded him that this wasn't a one sided thing on his part and it was something Stiles wanted as well which made him relax significantly. He made a noise of protest when Stiles pulled away and he leaned forward to chase Stiles' lips before he could stop himself, finally coming to his senses and leaning back with his ears flaming red. 

He put his hands in the pockets of his sweatpants as he waited for Stiles and Deaton to join him. He rubbed the back of his neck a bit and then looked at Deaton when he entered, dipping his head in a hello. "Alan," he greeted. "Thanks for coming out. Stiles and I really appreciate it." 

"Of course, Derek. You know I would do anything for your family," Deaton responded. "If you'd just show me out to where you've contained Deucalion I can assist your parents in moving him off of your property." 

"Sure," Derek agreed with a nod and looked back at Stiles, gaze softening without his conscious decision. "Do you want to wait here, Stiles? Or come with us?" 

Stiles thought quietly for a moment, looking between Derek and Deaton, who were both waiting for his response. Logically, he knew that he was the safest in the house with all the protective runes and such, especially if he went into his or Kenna’s room. He definitely didn’t want to see Deucalion again. At the same time, he didn’t want to be left alone. He bit his lip as he thought. 

“I’ll go with you,” Stiles finally answered. He wanted to stay with Derek more than he didn’t want to see Deucalion. He could see that they would prefer he didn’t come along, but they weren’t about to tell him that he couldn’t. 

“I suggest we get going before the sun sets,” Deaton said to break the silence that had settled over them. Stiles nodded and headed towards the back door. Once outside, Derek took the lead. Though Stiles was the one that had run the trail earlier in the day, there was no way he would be able to retrace his steps exactly in such a new place. Besides, if Derek was just following the scent, then he could lead them in the most direct path. Stiles noticed how he didn’t shift, and he knew that was probably for his and Deaton’s benefit. They were all silent as they walked, things looking vaguely familiar to Stiles. Finally, they emerged into the small area where Deucalion sat, now awake, surrounded by Derek’s family in their shifted forms. 

“What is that delicious scent?” Deucalion mused patronizingly, eyes glowing red as he inhaled, “Oh, look who’s returned, though not the same as before. It seems you do know how to use him for his intended purpose, Derek. After all, what else could he be for with that soft skin and positively sinful mouth. I’d like to see it do more than talk. Tell me; was his skin pretty as he flushed? Was he loud? I’ll bet he’s a screamer. I’m sure he was obedient as well. He seems like a fighter, but I can just imagine how pliant and submissive he becomes in the face of pleasure, like a docile little slut.” 

Without even thinking, Stiles reached down and picked up the biggest rock he could find, launching it directly at Deucalion’s head. The werewolf moved out of the way, but just barely. One of the sharp edges of the rock sliced open the side of his head, a wound that healed within seconds. 

“Feisty,” Deucalion tutted in disapproval, “I see you still have a ways to go with his training, Derek.” It seemed Deucalion was very confident protected behind his barrier. Stiles was practically shaking with anger and embarrassment and he moved to reach for another rock. 

Derek felt the rage sear through his veins, making his blood boil. The half of him that was wolf was whining and thrashing to be released, to be allowed to rend flesh from bone, to taste blood on his tongue, to watch the life drain from Deucalion's body and know that they would never have to worry about him again. But the rational human part of him could see a desperate man's taunting words for what they were; Deucalion's anxiety and fear were a bitter stench in the air and he wasn't fooling anyone. Stiles' presence turned out to be extremely helpful because all Derek had to do was listen for his steady heart beat, tap into that invisible tether that was almost palpable that linked him to Stiles and he tamped down on the fury. Stiles' being there let Derek stay quiet and controlled instead of raucous and wild. He did let his eyes flash alpha red, though. But he did that on purpose. 

"Don't," Derek said gently, reaching out to stop Stiles from reaching down for another stone again. "He isn't worth your energy, Stiles. He doesn't know anything about you or us. He's trying to provoke me into an attack that's all. He thinks if he makes me angry enough I'll charge and the containment spell will have some unpleasant side effects for me."

"Wise decision, Derek," Deaton said gently and Derek inclined his head in acknowledgement, watching Deaton set his bag down and get to work disarming the spell. 

"If you'll excuse us. I've done my part showing you the way," Derek told Deaton who offered a nod though didn't really say goodbye. Derek turned back to Stiles, ignoring Deucalion and tuning him completely out. "Let's go home, okay? We can watch a movie or go to the library and read or whatever you want to do. Does that sound okay?"

Stiles’ fists were clenched tightly, as was his jaw. He wanted to make Deucalion hurt for what he said, if for nothing more than because it undermined what he and Derek had. It was beyond Deucalion’s understanding, but that didn’t stop Stiles from wanting to bash his head in. For a split second, he wished he was strong enough to actually do some damage, but he wasn’t ready for what that would entail and he probably never would be. Still, Deucalion’s words made him vibrate with anger and he hated that. He hated how the man could get the exact reaction he wanted out of Stiles. If given the chance, Stiles would let him stay in that stupid little barrier forever. 

Stiles gave Derek a sharp nod in response, not actually saying anything. He wanted to let himself calm down a bit first. He didn’t want to snap at Derek because he was angry with Deucalion. Stiles had already snapped once today and once was quite enough in his opinion. He started walking back the way they had come, not sure if he was going in the right direction but he trusted that Derek would correct him if he wasn’t. Or maybe it would be better if he took a long way back. It would give him a chance to relax and tire himself out a bit. After a minute or two of silent walking, Stiles finally spoke. 

“What movies do you have?” he asked, turning to look back at Derek. A movie would be good. It would get his mind off things and it would allow him to just relax with Derek and forget about Deucalion. Maybe they could make popcorn or something. That would be nice. That was Stiles’ last thought before he went tumbling down, a root having gotten caught on his foot. This is why he needed to look where he was going. He flailed a bit as he went down and somehow managed to turn his entire body over and fall on his back. Amazingly, it jarred Stiles out of his terrible mood and he started to laugh. 

“Leave it to me to fall over if I’m not looking at the ground for two seconds,” he said with a breathless laugh. 

Derek walked quietly with Stiles, letting him lead the way back and gently guiding him in the right direction if he started to veer off track. He looked up when Stiles asked which movies he had and was about to answer when Stiles went sprawling onto the ground and Derek went after him immediately, kneeling beside him to make sure he was okay. But Stiles was laughing and joking about himself and Derek relaxed a little, cracking a semblance of a smile. 

"Yea, you scared me, doofus," Derek said with a small shake of his head, running a hand over Stiles' shoulder and then going to rest over his heart so he could feel the strong steady thrum of it on Stiles' ribs. "Are you okay? Not hurt or anything?" he asked just to make sure before he started to help Stiles to his feet. "You didn't twist an ankle or anything?" 

“I’m fine,” Stiles said, giving Derek’s hand a small squeeze before pushing it away so that he could stand. He put weight on his foot gingerly, but seeing that it was uninjured he stood normally. “Though just to be safe,” Stiles said slowly, “You should probably carry me the rest of the way.” He punctuated his sentence with taking a flying leap at Derek’s back, wrapping his legs around the werewolf’s waist tightly and letting his arms hang loosely over Derek’s shoulders so that he could give him a piggy back ride. Derek was right. Deucalion knew nothing about them and everything he said was just to rile Derek up. Not for the first time, Stiles found himself thanking whatever higher power was up there that Derek had been the one with the higher bid that day. “I say we watch something funny,” Stiles said, dragging himself out of his thoughts and back into reality, “Then you’ll realize how truly genius my jokes are, as they’re all funnier than anything the movie industry can come up with.”

Derek relaxed when Stiles assured him he was alright and Derek couldn't hear a lie in his heartbeat. He still held out his hands as Stiles tested his weight just on the off chance he'd hurt himself so he could catch Stiles if he needed to. He stumbled slightly when Stiles hopped on his back, not having expected it, but he righted himself and held onto Stiles, tilting his head back to look at him with his brows slightly raised. He was glad Stiles seemed to have relaxed a bit into a better mood. "Something funny it is then. I have a lot of DVDs that my sisters have forced me into buying that I've not watched yet so you can educate me," he responded with a little smile, hiking Stiles up a bit further and then picking up his pace into a smooth jog that would get them to the house quicker. "You know," Derek started when they came up onto the backyard deck and set down Stiles. "After Kenna and Jacob get married, if you ever wanted to travel somewhere we could. Wherever you want. I'd just have to let work know I'd be MIA for a couple of weeks."

“Oh yeah, you have a job,” Stiles mused quietly, bouncing slightly as Derek jogged, “I forgot about that. I mean, I haven’t seen you do any work. Like at all. Are you sure you have a job?” He was joking, mostly, though it was true that he had never seen Derek do anything resembling work. Of course, Stiles hadn’t really been there long enough to comment but that was beside the point. He thought quietly, remembering all the places he had sworn up and down that he would visit someday, all the places he had read about or seen pictures of on the internet. He had known all along that he would never really get the chance, seeing as there had previously been no safe way for Stiles to travel more than a mile or two, but now it was different. Now he had Derek and he suddenly had all these opportunities in front of him. It was a little crazy to think about. A week ago, Stiles had been in the forest, pitching a makeshift tent with his dad in their new location. Now he was getting a piggyback ride from a werewolf on their way to watch a DVD. Life was weird. “Traveling might be nice,” Stiles murmured quietly, his head resting on Derek’s shoulder. 

Derek chuckled softly and blushed a bit, rubbing the back of his neck. "Yea, I have been...putting some things off in light of recent goings on. But today is Saturday so it can wait another day until Monday. The company won't crash and burn in a day without me," he said, rubbing Stiles' back when Stiles leant into him, happy to just stand there and feel the warmth of Stiles' body against his own. He hummed softly, a song he'd used to hear Laura playing all the time on her radio. "If- if or when we find your father...he could come too. If he wanted to. Or he'd be more than welcome to stay here too of course. You know...if you decided to let Deaton train you as an emissary, your father would gain his freedom through you, because you're blood." 

Stiles froze against Derek’s back, the words ‘father’ and ‘freedom’ bouncing all around his head. He’d had no idea that anyone he was blood related to would gain freedom as well from Stiles’ own newly gained status. Well, now it wasn’t a question of if he started training to be an emissary, but when he started training to be an emissary. Even if it was a lot of responsibility to take on, and even if Stiles wasn’t sure if he was ready for it, he wasn’t going to be selfish and take away what could be his father’s only chance at legitimate freedom while still being human. “I have to find him,” Stiles said suddenly, “I-I have to get to him, I need to tell him. I mean, it’s not going to be easy to find him, after all they never really let anyone under eighteen take a peek at the maps, but hey never underestimate me right? The last place we had settled was somewhere in Pennsylvania if I remember correctly, smack dab in the middle of the biggest forest we could find. Of course, I had sent off the signal when I got captured so they’ve definitely moved by now, but it’s good to have a starting point right? When we ran for it, we tended to run north, because there were a lot more places to hide north, so I would wager that they headed towards western New York or maybe one of the Great Lakes, the one all the way to the right. I always forget which is which.” Stiles was babbling desperately, unable to stop, unable to think about anything but getting his father his freedom. 

Derek supposed he shouldn't have been surprised by Stiles' rising heartbeat but it did surprise him and for a moment he tensed, thinking irrationally that Deucalion escaped and was coming towards them. It didn't seem to be the case though because then Stiles was babbling on quickly about his father and finding him and Pennsylvania and New York. Derek turned to him and rested hands on his shoulders to steady him. "Stiles, breathe. Just take deep breaths okay? We can't do anything right this moment. So we're going to go inside and watch a funny movie. We're going to wait for my parents to tell us that they're leaving and we're going to do this rationally and safely with as little risk of harm to anyone. Okay? We can find and bring him here as soon as we can but you've got to understand something. You don't get your freedom until you're fully trained which means that your father doesn't get his until then either. He'll have to stay in hiding here unless we go through channels and I get paperwork on him and I really would rather not 'own'" he spit the word out like poison, "the only family you have left. So he won't be able to be in public. He can go between my own home and my parents' home but I don't want to take unnecessary risks alright? I want to keep you safe above everything else. I'll call Eric, Boyd, and Isaac tomorrow and we'll start doing some research, making plans. Can you handle waiting until tomorrow? Please?"

Derek speaking shut him up, if only briefly. He was able to regulate his breathing, but his heartbeat was still too high to be all that natural. He would much rather his father be stuck in a gigantic warded mansion with indoor plumbing and a constant supply of food and water than have him running around in the woods, seconds away from getting killed or captured everyday. He wanted to go now, right now and find him, but he knew that Derek was right. There was nothing they could do about it currently and they certainly couldn’t go in there blind. “I can wait,” he finally muttered, the words almost paining him to say, “But you have to promise that I can go to find him. None of this leaving-me-behind-for-my-own-good bullshit. He’s my father and there’s no way he’d go with any of you unless he had a reason. And I need to start my training right away.” Honestly, the thought of his father coming to stay with them was a little nerve-wracking. What if he couldn’t understand what he and Derek had? What if he wrote Stiles off as some kind of were-whore? What if he tried to hurt Derek and take Stiles away? These were all worst-case scenarios, but they were all technically within the realm of possibility. Still, Stiles hoped that the promise of freedom would keep his father’s hatred of werewolves at bay. 

Derek had known that if he went looking for Stiles' father there would be no leaving Stiles behind to keep him safe. Stiles would insist on going and Derek was sure that he would do the same in Stiles' position. He nodded and ran his hands down Stiles' arms to his hands, squeezing Stiles' palms. "I promise, Stiles, you'll be with us. Of course you will. But I have a couple of conditions of my own. One of which is that we do it my way. I know you're anxious to get him back. I understand that. But my first priority is you and it'll always be you. I'll do whatever I have to do to keep you safe," Derek said seriously, meeting Stiles' gaze. "You're what I care about, Stiles. Just you." He pulled Stiles in close to hug him, kissing the side of his head. "I want to get him back for you. I want you to have everything," he murmured into Stiles' hair. "But there's nothing we can do right now. We have to make the proper arrangements and take the proper precautions. There's no way in hell I'm taking you into a potentially dangerous situation without as many forms of protection in place for you as I can manage." 

Stiles was still very unused to the way that Derek saw him and the intensity with which he cared. Stiles could feel his face growing hot where it was pressed into Derek’s chest, color appearing high on his cheeks. He could understand where Derek was coming from, but Stiles hadn’t always been the best at following directions and he couldn’t promise that he would stick to whatever plan they ended up making perfectly, especially not when he finally saw his father. In all honesty, Derek and any other wolves that came with them were probably in the most danger, walking into a human encampment with no violent intentions. The humans had a small cache of weapons that they would use if forced to. Stiles pulled back enough from the huge so that he could lean up and kiss Derek softly. “I understand,” he murmured against the werewolf’s lips. Not a lie. They should probably get back. It was going to get dark soon and Derek’s family would no doubt be finishing up, but Stiles couldn’t really think about that as he pressed forward for another kiss. 

Derek kissed Stiles back easily, leaning into his body. He hummed his quiet acknowledgment of Stiles' affirmation but all he could think about was Stiles' mouth on his and that's all he wanted to think about. Everything else could wait. Right there in that moment it was just the two of them. He wrapped Stiles up tightly in his arms, holding him close and sighing into Stiles' mouth. He licked inside when Stiles opened his mouth to him, deepening the kiss significantly. Before he could get too carried away though he finally pulled back enough to rest their foreheads together, breathing heavily. "Let's go inside and get to those movies, hmm? We can do more of this on the couch if you want," he murmured with a soft smile, hands cupping Stiles' jaw and his thumb brushing over Stiles' lower lip gently. He was practically melting with content, happy when he was in Stiles' arms. 

Stiles hummed in what he assumed was agreement, letting his tongue flick out to lick Derek’s thumb teasingly. A playful smile crossed his lips and mischief lit up his eyes. He recognized where they were now, and it was really only a couple hundred feet from the house. He weighed the options in his head for a moment, knowing what it would do to Derek’s instincts if he went through with it. In the end, Stiles couldn’t resist. “I’ll race you,” he said challengingly, and he took off at a sprint towards the house moments later. He knew that the need to chase him would drive Derek crazy and that’s exactly what he was going for. He doubted he would make it back to the house before Derek caught up with him, but Stiles still ran as fast as he could without looking back. He found this weird grace when he was running, somehow managing to avoid the things that would trip him up when he was walking. It had always comforted his father at least. The trees were starting to thin out and his heart was racing with anticipation, a breathless smile on his face. 

Derek's eyes widened when Stiles challenged him to a race. He wanted to protest because he wasn't sure if it was a good idea. He didn't know what it would do to his instincts. But Stiles didn't wait for a response, taking off running at full speed instead for the house. The wolf in him howled and he took off after Stiles, recognizing the playfulness of the action instead of the mere need to just chase and capture like he'd feared. He ran quickly and tried to let Stiles get a head start but it was too much for his instincts and he caught up to Stiles quickly. He tackled him but gently, making sure that when they went down Stiles landed on top of him and wasn't harmed. He rolled Stiles into the grass and laid over him, leaning in to lick playfully over Stiles' pulse point. "I caught you," he purred out, a content rumble running through his chest. "Do I get to keep you as my prize?" 

It was no surprise when Derek finally tackled him, but Stiles took notice of the gentleness of the action. He was touched, like he always was when Derek went out of his way to think of him. Stiles chuckled when Derek went straight for his throat, turning his head so that the werewolf could satisfy his instincts easier. “You can’t keep what’s already yours,” Stiles murmured, a smile playing on his lips, “But if you really need a prize, then maybe later I can suck you off.” Honestly, he mostly just said that to see how Derek would react, but it had been something that Stiles had been thinking about recently. Or all the time. It was just kind of a permanent floating thought in the back of his head, just wondering what it would be like and things like that. Now that they had the green light to go, Stiles saw no reason for them to hold back, especially while the house was empty. It wouldn’t stay that way for long. 

Derek's throat went dry and he couldn't help the grumbling noise he made when Stiles mentioned sucking him off. Stiles really shouldn't be allowed to say things like that. One day he was going to kill Derek just with his words and it wouldn't be pretty. He pressed his face into Stiles' neck and nipped at his throat with blunt human teeth, trying to reign himself in. "Jesus fuck, Stiles. You can't just say shit like that," he groaned after a moment, pulling back to give him a look though it was obvious Derek wasn't actually upset. Stiles just did things to him and it was insane honestly. "You know I don't- I mean sex isn't- I don't need that from you, Stiles. I want it, please don't misunderstand. I want you. But I don't need it to want to be with you. You know that don't you? You're enough of a prize just how you are but you're not really a prize. You're a person. The only person I want." 

“Calm down,” Stiles grumbled, his face turning bright red, trying to ignore the now familiar swell of embarrassment and affection that Derek’s words caused, “I know you’re different, not like other werewolves, yada yada. If I say I want to do something, then it’s because I want to do it, not because you caught me and won a prize.” Stiles was quiet for a moment, remembering the way that Derek had reacted when he first suggested it. He leaned up slowly until his lips were just brushing Derek’s ear. “And I want,” he murmured slowly, “To feel your cock in my mouth.” He could barely stop the shit-eating grin that was threatening to break his face in half, though the thought was affecting him in the same way he was sure it was affecting Derek. It was weird, having this sort of power over someone, but at the same time it was equal because Derek had the same power over Stiles. 

Derek turned red at Stiles' last words and he didn't know quite what to say. He definitely wanted that though. He wanted anything with Stiles. But before he could find any words, there was a deliberate snapping of a twig nearby that had Derek whipping his head up and Colby appeared with a dangerous smirk, hands in his pockets. "My, my Derek, he sure knows what he wants doesn't he?" Colby teased but it was all good naturedly, amusement and humor in his eyes. Derek blushed even deeper and dropped his face to Stiles' neck, laughing a bit and tightening his hold. 

"You're one to talk, Colby. I've heard you on the phone with Dale before. He's got a worse mouth on him," Derek responded, pushing himself up and bringing Stiles with him. "You sure know how to ruin a mood." 

"Always happy to help, little bro," Colby said with a wink and Derek rolled his eyes. 

"You're not even really my brother," he pointed out but Colby just waved him off and grinned at Stiles' red face. 

"Don't worry, kid. There's nothing you can say to Derek that my husband hasn't said to me," he told Stiles in an attempt to reassure him and relieve some of the embarrassment. "Keep Derek on his toes will you? He can be kind of a prude sometimes."

It seemed like Stiles was dead-set on embarrassing himself for the rest of his life. Despite both Derek and Colby’s words, his face flamed and he wanted to smash his head against a tree. Instead, he chose to bury half of his face against Derek’s shoulder, keeping just enough of him showing so as not to seem rude. “I’ll be sure to do that,” Stiles croaked out in response, embarrassment clear in his voice. Goddamn werewolves and their goddamn werewolf hearing and their goddamn super quiet walking. Teddy emerged from the trees a few moments later, Deaton trailing behind him. Stiles could only pray that they hadn’t heard him as well. 

“Don’t tease them Colby,” Teddy chastised lightly, a small smile on his face, “By the looks of it, they both may explode if you say much more.” 

“Oh, we’re all family here,” Colby said with a wave of his hand, smirk still firmly in place, “They’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about.” Stiles and his blush begged to differ. God, he was never going to open his mouth again unless there was no one within a five-mile radius. Screw that, they would all be lucky if he ever spoke again. 

“What happened with Deucalion?” Stiles blurted out in what had to be the world’s worst subject change on the entire planet. Honestly, he could have said anything else in the world to steer the conversation in a new direction, and he picks the insane werewolf that’s out for Derek’s blood. Or his blood. Or both of them. Either way, he was a crazy dude that needed to keep his distance. 

Derek looked up at the sky as if he might receive heavenly help or something but he just glanced over at Stiles with big eyes. "Do you think we could run away and join a different family?" he asked though he was entirely joking. For as much as they embarrassed him, Derek loved his family to death and he wouldn't give them up for the world. 

Derek sobered considerably at the mention of Deucalion again and looked to his father for the answer, also curious considering Talia and Deucalion were the only two missing. Deaton shook his head and raised a reassuring hand. "No need to worry, boys. I simply needed to gather a few things from my car to effectively lift the containment and temporarily incapacitate Mr. Deucalion so he'll be unable to transform or venture far from Teddy here," he said gently and Derek relaxed, glancing at his father who gave a small nod. 

"Do you need us to do anything?" Derek asked though he hoped the answer would be no and he wasn't disappointed. 

"No, son. We can handle this. Just continue on with whatever it was you were going to do," Teddy replied with a shake of his head, glancing at Stiles then back to Derek. "Perhaps we shouldn't stop inside to say goodbye?"

"Jesus, dad. We're not gonna- not now- I- yes you can stop by. We're going to watch a movie," Derek protested, flaming bright red once again, flush going into his ears and all down his neck under his t-shirt. 

“Good lord,” Stiles groaned, hiding his face the rest of the way, “Just let me smother myself to death.” He shoved his face into the fabric of Derek’s shirt, though he didn’t actually stop breathing so technically he wasn’t trying all that hard. Colby and Teddy just laughed, shaking their heads a bit as they waited for Deaton to return with his things. The emissary was back moments later and the three set off again with quick waves towards Derek and the still hiding Stiles. Stiles listened to the footsteps as they walked away, waiting until he couldn’t hear them anymore even though they were probably still within werewolf earshot. 

“I’m never going to try to be sexy every again, I swear to god,” he mumbled into Derek’s shirt, still refusing to lift his face, “Really. I’m just going to become a monk and literally be the least sexy thing possible on the universe. I’ll wear the robes and everything, even shave my head. Oh did you want sexy Stiles? Sorry, he doesn’t exist anymore. It’s only monk Stiles.” He still kind of wanted to know what exactly they were going to be doing with Deucalion, but he was sure that it would make Derek more comfortable if they just went in the house to put on some random movie. Stiles was tempted to make them sit at opposite ends of the couch. Hell, maybe one of them would have to get a separate chair. He was not trying to get caught in anymore embarrassing situations by Derek’s family. Though, if he was being completely honest with himself, he had a feeling that staying with Derek would involve a lot of embarrassing situations with the family. Werewolves knew way too much about each other and now that would be the cause of Stiles’ death. Death by blushing. Definitely not an awesome way to go. Rather pathetic, in fact. 

Derek held onto Stiles, still blushing though now also smiling at Stiles' embarrassment because it was rather cute to him. Stiles was just incredible. He was beyond glad that the universe had decided that he and Stiles were a good match because he wouldn't want anyone else. He waited until his family were out of shot and Stiles had stopped babbling before gently coaxing Stiles out of his shirt to look at him with a small smile. "First of all, you'll never not be sexy. I'm just going to put that out there because it needs to be said. Second of all, you don't have to be a monk but I am sorry about them. They're- well there just isn't a lot of secrecy in my family and they choose to tease and make jokes instead of letting things be awkward and not saying anything. Does that make sense?" 

“Yeah, it makes sense, but it’s not going to make my capillaries stop opening the floodgates all at once every time they do,” Stiles said with a rueful smile, cursing his overactive bodily response. It was so different from the way he and his father were with each other. They couldn’t even say the word ‘sex’ without stammering and getting all weird and cough-y and pretend-manly. Despite the extreme embarrassment, Stiles still meant what he had said. That was definitely something he was looking forward to trying at some point. Maybe some point today. Stiles leaned up and pressed his lips to Derek’s. He still got that special surge of energy between them whenever they kissed and he couldn’t help but want to feel it more and more. He didn’t make it a long kiss. No, the lingering thought of Derek’s family nearby kept him from doing that. “Let’s actually go watch that movie,” he said with a small chuckle, “Or they’re going to think I’m just some horny teenager that only wants you for your body.”

"If it makes you feel any better, I like it when you blush," Derek offered, touching his fingers to Stiles' cheeks with tender affection. He got his arms around Stiles' shoulders when he was kissed, responding with earnest enthusiasm and making a noise of protest when Stiles pulled away. "Well we wouldn't want that would we?" he responded with a little smile, leaning in to steal one more kiss just because he was allowed to do that now. He kept Stiles close as they headed for the house again, relaxing a bit since he knew now Deucalion was taken care of and he could have Stiles to himself for a while. He opened the door and let Stiles go first before stepping inside as well, glancing out he door briefly just to make sure everything was well before locking up. His parents could come in through the front to say goodbye. "Movies are over here," he said, leading the way to the living room where the entertainment system that he hadn't really used that much was set up. Kenna was the one who used it the most. He opened up a door on the large set up to reveal the massive amount of DVDs there, organized into alphabetical order because Kenna liked to be able to find things easily. "Pick whatever you like. Should I make popcorn or something?"

Hearing that Derek liked his blush only made Stiles want to blush more. Compliments weren't something he was accustomed to. Still, he tried to ignore his embarrassment because this was something that would apparently need to get used to. He noticed the way that Derek locked the door when they went inside and he smiled to himself. It was kind of cute, how much Derek worried about him. He let the werewolf lead him over to the movies, his jaw dropping when he saw how many there were. This was insane. He was going to have to watch every single one at some point, you know in between training to become an emissary, finding his father, and everything that was Derek. "Yeah, popcorn sounds great," Stiles said, shooting Derek a quick smile before returning his attention to the vast collection in front of him. He rapidly surmised that is was in alphabetical order and tutted in disapproval. Movies should obviously be organized by genre and then by name. Still, he went through the selection, plucking out the ones that sounded interesting and reading more about them before deciding if they were a worthy contender. It wasn't until the very end that Stiles spied one of his all time favorites. Admittedly, he had never seen the movie since he had been too young to watch it before they went into hiding, but he had stumbled upon it during one of his few Internet escapades. Stiles put all the other movies back. They were totally going to watch Zombieland. 

"Okay, I'll go put some popcorn in the microwave," Derek said with a smile, letting Stiles wander over to the movies. He watched him for a moment before turning to go into the kitchen. He dug through the pantry for the box of popcorn, pulling out one of the packages. He went through the motions of unwrapping it and putting it in the microwave. He puttered around a bit for something to do, grabbing down a bowl from the cupboard and when the microwave beeped he dumped the hot popcorn into it, shaking it around and inhaling the delicious scent of butter and... popcorn. He popped his head back into the living room and smiled at Stiles. "Do you want anything to drink with the popcorn? Soda? Water? Lemonade?"

"Soda!" Stiles called back without looking. He'd had plenty of water in his lifetime and even some poor attempts at lemonade, but soda was his absolute favorite and he'd only had it about five times. Stiles poked and prodded at the DVD player, trying to make it work. He had read instruction manuals for them before. He would read anything he could get his hands on. However, it had been a while. The power button was obvious, as that symbol was universal for basically every electronic device. Finally, he got the little drawer to pop out and he slid the disc in before closing it up again, standing to turn the television on. "Hurry up!" he called excitedly to Derek, the thought to go and give him a hand not entering his mind. Part of him was afraid that this was some kind of coma-induced dream and that he would wake up and there would be no Derek. The thought made him cringe and he shook it out of his head. This was real. The auction, Derek, the soul bond, all of it was real and once Stiles had his father he could really believe that.

Derek chuckled fondly, calling back to let Stiles know he was coming before going over to the fridge. He pulled out two cold cans of Dr. Pepper and then gathered up the bowl of popcorn into his arm before heading back into the living room. He set it all down on the coffee table and then sat down on the plush suede couch, leaning back into the cushions and motioning for Stiles to join him. "How do you feel about cats?" Derek asked curiously, taking a handful of popcorn to eat. "Or dogs. Pets in general. Laura keeps telling me I need a pet. I think I would rather have something small like a cat though. What do you think?" He had been thinking about it even before Stiles had come to live with him in the first place and then put it out of his mind but now he wondered if Stiles might want a pet. He seemed to have missed out on a lot considering the oppression humans were going through and he didn't blame Stiles or the others that he had teamed with for going into hiding and running even if it did make them fugitives. It was probably better than being forced into slavery and prostitution. No, it had to be better than being forced into slavery and prostitution. Derek wanted to howl and growl just at the thought of anyone touching Stiles without his permission. 

Stiles skipped all the previews and hit play when the menu screen came up before going to settle into the couch with Derek. He reached for one of the cans of soda and popped it open, taking a long sip, relishing in the taste. He pondered Derek's question for a moment, placing his soda back on the coffee table and wiggling into place against Derek's side. "I've never had a pet before," he admitted slowly, something that was probably obvious given his situation, "Well I sort of kept a baby squirrel once, but he ran away. Another time, Scott and I tried to keep a toad that we found, but it was a bad time for the camp and we ended up having to eat him. Some of the adults stole a chicken once and Scott and I took care of that too but they were just waiting for it to get fat before killing it. Having a pet that doesn't double as a meal might be nice." He gave Derek a little nudge and a smile to show that he was joking around. He understood that the way he grew up was very unorthodox but he didn't regret it or feel bitter about it. He had his family and he had fond memories. That was all he could really ask for. He leaned his head against Derek. "A cat would be nice," Stiles said softly, half distracted by the movie, "Especially if Kenna is going to run off and get married and you're going to be a working man. I'll need someone to keep me company." Stiles would probably tear through all the movies and all the books in the library within the first three weeks of being left alone during the day. Having a pet to play around with and take care of would be good for him. Even if he decided to get some kind of formal online education, he doubted it would distract him for that long. 

"You're so weird," Derek said with a chuckle but it wasn't mean or condescending. He wasn't trying to put down the way Stiles had lived and grown up. He just thought it was strange but he liked it, liked Stiles for it a lot. He nudged the hand he had on Stiles' hip a bit up until it slipped under his shirt and onto soft skin, rubbing in gentle circles. "And also, I work from the house most of the time. Just by the way. I go into the office three times a week or so and you're always welcome to come along if you don't want to stay home by yourself. Or you could spend time with Erica or Boyd or Isaac. I'm sure Scott would make the trip down if you wanted him to. But we can go to the shelter tomorrow if you want and see. I don't go into the office until Tuesday." 

Even the casual touch that Derek was giving him now made Stiles' skin tingle and his heart beat just the slightest bit faster. He just couldn't help the way he reacted around Derek and he shifted without fully realizing to give Derek more room. Stiles watched the movie in silence for a few moments as he thought. Would a cat be immune to Derek's alpha-ness because it was a different species or was werewolf superiority like an all-encompassing sort of thing? He supposed he could just ask, but finding out sounded like more fun. "We can go to the shelter tomorrow," Stiles allowed, "But we also have to do something regarding my dad. I want to find him as soon as possible." He could understand Derek's wariness about the situation and his desire to proceed carefully but Stiles was a teenager. He was impulsive and he wanted results now. It was going to take a lot for him to be patient with this. He turned his head just enough to place a kiss at the edge of Derek's jaw before turning his attention back to the movie. Things were starting to get interesting and the whole inner monologue was hilarious. 

Derek ate some more popcorn, chewing it as quietly as he could as he listened to the movie and to Stiles' heart beat which had quickened when he put his hand on Stiles' skin which made him smile a little. He loved all the physiological responses that Stiles had to him that Derek's body then automatically responded to as well, like it wasn't just their souls they shared but their bodies too almost. He glanced over at Stiles again and nodded, tightening the arm he had around him. "We'll go to the shelter in the morning and I'll call the betas over in the afternoon. Erica gets off shift at the hospital at four," he answered honestly, leaning over to press a tender kiss to Stiles' temple. "We'll get him back. I promise I'll get him back for you," he whispered quietly. 

Stiles was a little taken aback by how firmly Derek seemed to believe that he would find Stiles’ father. Or maybe that wasn’t the right way to phrase it. He was determined to find Stiles’ father. He burrowed further into Derek’s side, nearly crawling on top of him but not quite. He didn’t really care how they looked because it made him happy. They sat in silence, watching the movie together as they munched on popcorn and, Stiles felt weird about saying it, but, snuggling. He was feeling a little groggy, but he didn’t want to fall asleep. They had slept plenty that day. He could tell the movie was probably almost done anyway with about twenty minutes left. He could predict what was going to happen but he was still a little excited to see how they executed it. However, that excitement didn’t stop Stiles from leaning up and kissing the underside of Derek’s jaw. He trailed up slowly until he finally found Derek’s lips. He kissed the older man softly and was just beginning to move to crawl into his lap when he heard the front door open. Stiles launched himself away from Derek with such force that he was sprawled halfway across the couch by the time Derek’s family came in, the picture of false nonchalance. 

Derek wasn't paying too much attention to the movie, more focused on the way Stiles' skin felt against his palm and the pad of his thumb as he rubbed in absent soothing circles and Stiles' heart calmed eventually. When Stiles turned in his embrace to kiss at his jaw, Derek let his eyes close and he leaned into it openly. He returned the kisses he was given, moving his lips against Stiles eagerly and sliding fingers up into his hair. He reached to help Stiles into his embrace but then the door was opening and Stiles was wrenching away from him like he'd been burned, leaving Derek to almost fall on his face against the couch Stiles had just been occupying. His parents and Colby filed in without Deaton and Talia smiled at the two knowingly, like she was privy to exactly what had gone down. 

"We just wanted to say our goodbyes, boys. Deucalion is unconscious and slightly worse for wear at the moment. We'll take care of this okay?" She said after a moment of enjoying their awkwardness. 

"Thanks, mom," Derek hummed, getting to his feet and moving into his mothers opened arms. He hugged her tightly, she much smaller than he was so her head tucked nearly beneath his chin and his arms enfolded her easily. He looked like he was holding onto a lifeline, someone who had just saved him from some terrible fate. 

Stiles felt bad for pulling away from Derek so abruptly, but he had already embarrassed himself plenty in front of Derek’s family. Especially Colby. Stiles’ face colored as they made eye contact and the other man smirked playfully as though he knew exactly what was happening. Of course, he probably did. They all probably did and that thought made Stiles burn with embarrassment, a sheepish smile on his face as he looked at them. He stood up slowly while Derek hugged his mother, coming to stand awkwardly behind but to the side of where they stood. 

“Thanks,” he said a bit awkwardly, “For everything.” Colby smiled widely at him and pulled the embarrassed boy into a quick, tight hug. Derek’s father followed soon after and Stiles was a little surprised by the easy acceptance and affection, but then again, he didn’t know why they wouldn’t either. They were all a very open and loving family. There was no reason that they wouldn’t accept Stiles into the folds of their family, especially if he made Derek as happy as he seemed to. 

“We’re always there for family,” Talia said softly, moving to hug Stiles tightly. Even though there was no way that the other werewolves in the room couldn’t hear, Stiles had a feeling that she lowered her voice for his benefit when she spoke again. “Always remember that you two are made for each other,” she whispered gently, “He can be prickly, but he’ll always love you.” Stiles’ face was bright red when she pulled away, his mouth opening and closing like a fish as he struggled for something to say. Derek’s family was going to take some getting used to. 

Derek blushed lightly at his mother’s words to Stiles but when Stiles looked at him he just gave a small nod to agree to her words so he would know. Talia pulled back and rested a hand on the side of his jaw, cupping it like a mother would and then leaning in to press a warm kiss to Stiles' forehead, pulling back to smile at him gently as she squeezed his arm. Teddy opened his arm for her and she stepped against his side easily, everyone bidding goodbye. 

Derek was finished hugging his family and he moved back to Stiles' side quickly, wrapping an arm around his waist and waving goodbye to the cars. When they were gone Derek led the way back inside and closed the door, looking over at Stiles. 

"What would you like to do now?" he asked with a smile, turning so he and Stiles were facing each other. "We could continue what you started on the couch?"

Stiles didn’t know how to react when Talia bid him goodbye in the way that she did, so he just didn’t. Not really. He gave them all a small smile and a wave and then they were out the door and it was just him and Derek again. That he could do. That was easy. He smiled easily when Derek spoke, a light blush still lingering on his face. He was silent for another moment, until his human ears picked up the sound of the engine turning over and tires crunching over gravel as Derek’s family drove away. 

“I would love to continue what we were doing on the couch,” Stiles said, somehow managing to make his voice sound low and smooth and actually kind of sexy, “After all, I still need to suck your brains out through your cock.” That was a tall order to make, especially since Stiles hadn’t actually sucked anyone’s dick before. He had read descriptions and even heard a few stories, but he’d never done it himself. He was just going to have to hope that enthusiasm would make up for how inexperienced he was. 

Stiles smashed their lips together without another word, jumping up to wrap his legs around Derek’s waist, knowing that the werewolf would have the reflexes to catch and support him. Somewhere in the back of his mind was reminding him that they had just traded handjobs that morning, but Stiles didn’t really care. Maybe it was what happened with Deucalion, or maybe it was instincts or the soul bond, but Stiles just really wanted to be close to Derek. 

Derek groaned when Stiles talked about sucking his brains out through his dick and he had no doubts in his mind at all that Stiles couldn't do exactly that. Derek was pretty sure Stiles would break him into pieces and then put him back together meticulously, replacing a few pieces of Derek with a few of himself. It was like every time they were together the bond grew stronger and more concrete, Stiles stole another piece of Derek's heart and filled it in with a piece of his own so Derek was always whole and completed. It terrified him and thrilled him at the same time. 

He caught Stiles easily when Stiles jumped up and he pushed him up against the nearest wall, attacking his lips with vigor and excitement. He was unable to quell the hunger inside of him that he had for Stiles and he just wanted to touch and touch and take and give and touch. He kissed Stiles like he was trying to find the piece of Stiles' soul that he still didn't have and desperately wanted. He wanted Stiles to be his forever. 

He pulled them away from the wall and stumbled back to the living room, carefully leaning so Stiles was laying on the couch and Derek could lay over him between his legs. They were both hard in their pants, trapped beneath layers of fabric. Derek couldn't help the hungry noise he made or the way he rolled his hips against Stiles' to get some much-needed friction. 

A loud moan tumbled from Stiles’ lips without his permission when Derek grinded down against him. Stiles pushed up, just as eager as the man above him to get some contact. He momentarily forgot his original goal as he worked up a rhythm, his hands anchored in Derek’s hair from where his arms were draped over the man’s shoulders. They kissed sloppily, Stiles interspersing with small gasps and strangled moans. His mind was fogged over with just Derek, Derek, Derek, and for a while there was no real thinking, just movement. It took Stiles a good few minutes to remember why they had started doing this. 

“Wait,” Stiles panted, pushing against Derek’s chest. He knew that though he couldn’t actually move the werewolf, Derek would move back when he felt resistance. Before a look of worry or concern to flash across the man’s face, Stiles smiled breathlessly. “I’m supposed to be sucking your dick,” he breathed, pushing Derek back even more until he was sitting up, leaning against the back of the couch. Stiles pressed a chaste kiss against Derek’s lips before he began trailing them down the werewolf’s neck, shoving his shirt up to kiss at his chest and abdomen. Eventually, he was at the waistband of Derek’s pants where he licked teasingly at the skin before moving to remove them, along with his boxers. 

Derek pressed Stiles back into the cushions and licked his way into his mouth, hands roaming Stiles' body eagerly. He felt Stiles pushing at him and he made a noise of disapproval, stealing another long second before allowing himself to be pushed away. He didn't want to force Stiles into anything, thought at first that maybe Stiles changed his mind and wanted to slow down a little bit which would be fine with him. Derek wouldn't push for anything Stiles wasn't ready for. He wasn't even sure he was ready for too much. When Stiles mentioned sucking Derek's dick again though, Derek was done and he let Stiles push him upright, body pliant under the younger man's hands. Stiles pushed at his shirt and Derek leaned forward a little bit to pull it off completely, now bare from the waist up. Soon enough he was completely naked though because Stiles wasted no time in pulling his boxers down with his shorts. 

"W-wait I- you too, clothes," Derek stuttered, reaching for Stiles again before Stiles could do anything but look. He wanted Stiles to be naked too before he did anything so that when it was Derek's turn to finish Stiles off there wouldn't be any impediments to slow him down. He pulled Stiles' shirt up over his head and took a moment to just run his hands over smooth mole dotted skin that he was becoming obsessed with the feel of. Then his hands moved down to the sweat pants Stiles had put on and pushed at them until they fell past his hips and Stiles was just as naked as Derek was. Derek sighed almost longingly and pressed his thumbs into the shallow dips of Stiles' hips before he looked back at him with huge lust filled eyes. "Okay, you can- whatever you want, Stiles." 

Once they were both naked, Stiles stopped for a moment to just admire the sight in front of him. Derek really was unfairly gorgeous. Like Stiles would make a killing if he stole Derek’s sperm and sold it on the black market. Who wouldn’t want to have babies with that face? Stiles could feel himself losing control of his train of thought, so he shook his head a little bit to refocus himself. Derek. Sex. Dick. This was happening. Stiles leaned up again to kiss at Derek’s neck, slowly trailing down as he wrapped a cautious hand around the older man’s cock. He gave a few gentle tugs as he kissed his way down Derek’s body, trying to work himself up to the actual act of sucking the dick. It’s not that Stiles didn’t want to do it, it was just that he wasn’t really sure how. A bunch of techniques and tips were running through his brain, but by the time he was kissing along Derek’s happy trail, they all just vanished. 

Stiles took a deep breath before looking up and locking eyes with Derek. He flushed slightly, a hint of a smile on his lips before he leaned forward and licked Derek’s cock from the base to the tip. Might as well just jump right in. He didn’t really give Derek any time to react before he wrapped his lips around the head, sucking lightly as he sort of explored it with his tongue. Moments later, Stiles made sure to be aware of his teeth as he slid down as far as he could, using his hand on whatever he couldn’t fit in his mouth as he bobbed between Derek’s legs, slow and exploratory, just getting used to the sensation. 

Derek bared his neck to Stiles, an action that he should have avoided at all costs as an alpha but had no second thoughts about with Stiles, and gasped quietly when he felt a hand wrap around him. Stiles was going to tear him apart with his mouth, Derek was sure of it. He ran his hands over whatever skin of Stiles' he could reach as Stiles moved lower and lower. He was going to go crazy any moment now but then Stiles was looking up at him with huge doe eyes as he licked at Derek's cock and Derek was certain that he wouldn't last long. It had been a long time since he'd been with anyone else and also this time it really meant something, it was important. He made a strangled sound in his throat when Stiles wrapped his lips around him and Derek buried his fingers in Stiles' hair just for something to hold onto, not pushing or anything. 

"Fuck, Stiles," he groaned out, head falling back on the cushions for a moment to breathe through his nose and calm himself so he wouldn't come right then and there. "This- this is going to be disappointingly fast just so you know."

Stiles wanted to chuckle but he knew that this wasn’t the time. Nothing could possibly be disappointing with Derek. Whether it lasted five hours or five seconds, Stiles would take any time he could get with Derek’s skin against his own. Orgasms were also a good reward, which Stiles should be focusing on now. He worked his tongue against Derek’s cock as he bobbed his head. He had no real idea of what he was doing and could only go off of what responses Derek was giving him. 

Though Stiles was pretty damn absorbed in what he was doing, part of his mind couldn’t help but wander. It didn’t really wander far of course, but he couldn’t help but think about what he and Derek had talked about earlier, with scent. How the more they had sex, the more everyone would know that Stiles was Derek’s and that Derek was Stiles’. Once they finally had actual sex, no one would even think that they could get between them. Stiles found that he wanted that more than anything. He contemplated going back to that hardware store where the employee had given him his number just so he could rub it in the guy’s face. 

Stiles moved his hand to cover whatever his mouth wasn’t reaching. He didn’t want to embarrass himself by choking during his first blowjob. He slid up Derek’s cock, using his tongue and lips to play special attention to the sensitive head. He looked up at Derek, watching his reactions. He really was gorgeous. 

The combination of Stiles' hand and his mouth was deadly. Derek knew he wouldn't last long but he held himself back as best as he could, trying to think of other things but all he could think about was Stiles. So he tried to think about not necessarily sexy things about Stiles. He thought about how stupidly glad he was that he'd made that impulse decision at the auction house. He was glad that whatever powers that be decided that he was good enough to have a soul mate like Stiles. He was thrilled that somehow through some weird genetic thing, Stiles had gotten the spark of power that would allow him to become an emissary and gain his freedom and freedom for his father too. Derek just thought Stiles was so amazing. 

And thinking about Stiles being amazing brought him back to thinking about the way Stiles' tongue was moving over the sensitive vein that ran along the underside of his cock up to the head where it was even more sensitive. Derek couldn't get over how amazing it felt. Stiles didn't have much technique but he had enthusiasm on his side and really that seemed to be enough for Derek's dick because he was so damn close to coming. He tilted his head down to stare at Stiles, the way his red lips looked wrapped around Derek's dick, rough hand working the base, lashes long like dark coal smudges on his cheeks, hair messy from where Derek had run his fingers through it so many times. 

"Fuck, I'm- close, Stiles, 'm close," he gasped out, hips twitching up just slightly before he could catch himself, trying to hold back so he wouldn't choke Stiles. They could try that another time when it wasn't Stiles' first time sucking dick.

Stiles felt the small twitch in Derek’s hips, though he had luckily already moved up to the head so it didn’t push anything further than he could handle. That would be an interesting thing to try someday, after he got a little more practice of course. Stiles nearly moaned as he realized just how much control Derek had to be holding over himself in order to let Stiles experiment like this. Leading off that train of thought, Stiles had to make a decision. Derek, in his beautifully wrecked voice, had said that he was close. Stiles didn’t know if it would be better to just continue and try to swallow, or save that for another time as well. After a few more moments, Stiles pulled off with a dirty sounding pop, his tongue giving the head of Derek’s cock one last little flick. They had all the time in the world to try new things and there was no reason to rush it. 

Stiles continued to work Derek with his hand, now using it to go over the entire length of his cock. He looked straight up at Derek’s face, wanting to take in everything. It was amazing how he could have this effect on someone. Derek was amazing. Stiles didn’t even want to think about what would have happened to him if Derek hadn’t gone for it that day at the auction house. Stiles moved his hand a little faster, changing the angle slightly as he managed to climb back onto the couch next to Derek without losing stride.

“Come on, Derek,” Stiles whispered suddenly in Derek’s ear, his voice a little hoarse, “Come for me. I wanna see you come.” He had no idea where that side of him had come from, a side that was apparently comfortable with demanding things from an alpha werewolf. Still, nothing he had said wasn’t what he truly wanted, so he couldn’t fault himself for saying them. 

Derek wanted to whine at the loss of Stiles' mouth but Stiles' hand was rough with calluses and perfect on the sensitive skin of his cock. He groaned instead, loud and pleasured and happy. He had no qualms about fucking up into Stiles' hand this time, pushing his hips up insistently and making soft noises in the back of his throat. When Stiles crawled up beside him, Derek wrapped an arm around him to pull him close and he made a strangled noise when Stiles demanded him to come. The sound of Stiles' voice was enough to push him over the edge and it only took two more strokes of his hand before Derek was coming, spilling out onto his own belly and Stiles' hand, Stiles' name coming as a cry from Derek's lips over and over again. His vision went out and his eyes fluttered shut and all he could think was Stiles Stiles Stiles Stiles. When the shocks of his orgasm subsided, Derek went boneless, relaxing against the couch and against Stiles and really not wanting to move at all except maybe to bring Stiles closer. He nuzzled at the younger man's neck, at his collarbones and the hollow of his throat, mixing their scents together to his liking and rumbling low and happy deep in his chest. 

Watching Derek come from Stiles’ hand was a pretty surreal experience, almost heady. It was insane. He could feel the way that Derek went boneless and relaxed against him, completely willing to put his safety in Stiles’ hands. Stiles was sure to pull his hand away from Derek’s cock before he became too sensitive. Stiles wanted to chuckle at the way that Derek immediately cuddled up against him, rubbing against his neck, just like a real dog would. He knew it was for scenting purposes, so he let Derek go at it despite his own need for release. This was about Derek and Stiles could wait. He got as close as he could to the older man, tipping his head back to allow easy access to his neck. He could practically feel Derek vibrating against him, the low rumble a constant sound coming from the man’s chest. His hand was getting a bit sticky and he knew that Derek’s torso had to be as well, but he could see that moving was not high on either of their To Do lists. Stiles shifted closer again and accidentally slid his cock against Derek’s thigh, a surprised moan tumbling from his lips. “I-I’m sorry,” Stiles stuttered, “But, can I just…” He trailed off, unable to finish his own sentence as he began to move his hips, thrusting against Derek’s thigh gently. Moans fell from his lips as he moved, hands coming up to secure themselves on Derek’s shoulders as his eyes squeezed shut. 

"D-don't apologize," Derek assured him, pressing closer to Stiles so he could find a rhythm for himself. Derek couldn't help but look down at where Stiles was rubbing himself off against Derek's thigh, his hip. It was amazing, thinking that Stiles would be able to come just from that. He wanted to help, wanted his hands and mouth all over Stiles. But he felt too boneless and brain dead to do anything except watch. It was probably the hottest thing he'd ever seen in his life. "Next time it's my turn," he decided with a nod, watching the flushed and dripping head of Stiles' cock disappear and reappear with each thrust of his hips. "I'm sorry. I want to help but I'm pretty sure you ruined my brain for a good several hours at least." 

“I’m glad,” Stiles managed to gasp out, biting his lip immediately after as a high-pitched moan followed his words. It was an embarrassing noise, and there was no way he would admit to it later. The movements of his hips were getting faster and more erratic as he chased release. He was a teenage boy after all. It wasn’t going to take much. A little time and friction, and he was done for. Stiles pressed down a little harder, crying out in pleasure at the sensation. Moments later, he came with a shout of Derek’s name, nails digging into the man’s shoulder. If he was human, they would leave marks for days. In the small part of his brain that wasn’t fuzzy from his post-orgasm high, Stiles was a little embarrassed that he had just come from rubbing himself off on Derek. However, most of Stiles’ brain was just happy that he had come at all. He slumped down against Derek, similarly boneless and sated. 

Derek loved the sounds Stiles made as he came and he watched Stiles' face, eyes wide and affectionate. This was more than just sex, it was something so much more and so much better and scary at the same time. But Derek wouldn't trade it. He'd not even really touched Stiles, not with his hands at least. Just his thigh was enough to get Stiles off and that was a heady realization. He shifted them both over so they were lying on their sides on the sofa, mess between them and scent hitting Derek's nose like a bouquet of flowers but better. He loved the way they smelt more like each other now than they smelt like themselves individually. He wasn't sure what he'd do once they'd actually gotten around to the penetrative part, once Stiles was his completely and he was Stiles'. But right then he buried his nose in Stiles' neck and nuzzle in, pressing up against him as tightly as possible. "Sorry. I'll help next time, I promise," he mumbled a little sheepishly, feeling bad for not providing more help after Stiles practically sucked his brains out through his dick. 

“The fact that I wiped you out so completely is actually really flattering,” Stiles said with a tired chuckle, eyes closed. He shifted his head enough so that Derek would have plenty of room to scent or whatever he needed to do. Stiles kind of wondered what he smelled like now. They had done it twice, and both times they had ended up sitting for a bit and Stiles had a feeling that made the scent sink in even more. Derek was admittedly gentle about it, but Stiles could almost sense the possessiveness. He wondered if that was a werewolf thing or a soul mate thing. He knew that real wolves mated for life, so it could very well be an instinct that was carried over. He wanted to ask, but he was too tired. He would much rather just take a second nap for that day, eat dinner eventually, and then go to sleep. They had a long day ahead of them tomorrow, what with trying to find Stiles’ dad and possibly getting a cat. Plus, if Stiles remembered correctly, then Derek had to go into work tomorrow. That was going to be a bit lonely. Derek had extended the invitation for Stiles to go with him, but he wasn’t sure if that would be appropriate. 

Derek smiled against Stiles' neck and tightened his arm around him, shifting again so Stiles was on his back and Derek was curled up into his side. He had his head on Stiles' chest by his neck, arms curled around him and eyes fluttering shut. He didn't want to get up or move for any reason. Not before he got a nap. It would give time for their scents to really mingle together. Derek pressed a kiss over Stiles' heart, the closest he could get to saying I love you without saying it aloud. He was scared of chasing Stiles away if he came on too strong or something. "Our hearts match," he hummed quietly, noticing how his and Stiles' hearts were beating at the same pace and rhythm along with each other's. He pressed a hand over the left side of Stiles' heart, listening and feeling at the same time. 

Stiles hummed tiredly in response, a smile resting on his lips. He vaguely wished that he could hear them too, but he supposed he would have to get along without that little ability. He picked his hand up after a moment and reached blindly behind Derek’s head, slapping against the back of the couch until his hand hit the blanket that was thrown over the back. He tugged it down over them, doing just enough to cover their groins before placing his hand on top of Derek’s. “In case family,” was all he murmured as ways of an explanation, curling into Derek without really noticing. He was glad he remembered to do something though. Just because Derek’s family knew that they were having sexy time didn’t mean that Stiles wanted them to see everything if they made some kind of surprise visit. Plus, they didn’t know when Kenna was due back, which had to be eventually to get her things and stuff. For now, that didn’t matter. All that mattered was Derek and being close to him as their hearts beat as one. 

Derek smiled a little but he pulled the blankets up to their ribs and tightened his arms back around Stiles again. He pressed a kiss against Stiles' neck and closed his eyes, breathing deeply. It didn't take long for the rhythm of Stiles' heart to calm Derek down significantly and his last act before falling asleep was to turn his hand over under Stiles' to lace their fingers. The darkness of unconsciousness fell over him easily and just like the last two times he'd fallen asleep with Stiles, he slept peacefully and with a feeling of safety that he hadn't experienced with anyone else before. If he were awake he may have wondered if that was from the bond or just from Stiles but for now he dreamt of having a good life with Stiles and that was enough.


	10. Chapter 10

Stiles woke up because he was hungry, pure and simple. His stomach rumbled and growled, begging for attention from a sleeping Stiles. He woke up tangled around Derek, naked, with a sticky mess between them. He grimaced a bit at that, but managed to peel himself away without waking the werewolf. He went into the kitchen and cleaned himself up with a few wet paper towels before going out to do the same to a sleeping Derek. Stiles pulled on his boxer briefs and Derek’s shirt that he had borrowed before padding back into the kitchen. After a thorough search of all drawers and cabinets, he decided he would make some chicken for him and Derek. He had cooked chicken a few times before, and there were spices that he recognized the names of in the kitchen. It would be simple, yes, but Derek had cooked everything else for him so far and Stiles wanted to return the favor. 

Derek didn't wake until the scent of chicken and spices and olive oil reached his nose, something delicious that made his stomach grumble. He groaned softly and stretched, looking around when he realized he was alone. He could hear Stiles' heart beat in the kitchen though and the soft sounds of pans and sizzling as well. Derek searched around for his boxers and slipped them on, a warm fuzzy feeling going through his chest when he realized that Stiles must have cleaned him off when he was sleeping. It should maybe have alarmed him more that it didn't wake him up or even rouse him at all with someone else in the house much less someone touching him while he was asleep. He supposed that was what happened when you loved someone and trusted them so completely. He didn't even know when he started to trust Stiles but he knew that there was no question about his trust. He padded barefoot into the bathroom, hair sticking up on one side and flattened on the other, lines on his face from the fabric of the couch where he'd been laying. He leaned against the doorjamb and cleared his throat softly so he wouldn't startle Stiles out of his skin. "Morning," he rasped thickly, voice a little bit raspy with the remnants of sleep. 

Stiles turned around to greet Derek and couldn’t stop the laughter that bubbled up from his chest. “Oh my god,” he wheezed as he laughed, “You look so cute in the morning.” It really was adorable, looking at Derek all rumpled and messy. Well, when you looked at his head at least. If you traveled any further down, you would be slapped in the face with the body of sexiness. Stiles turned down the heat on the stove for safety and walked over to Derek, wrapped his arms around the man’s shoulders and leaning up to kiss him gently. “Morning,” he murmured, a smile playing on his lips. He was just about to move in for a deeper kiss when he heard the front door swing open. 

“I know you can hear me Derek, so there better be clothes on wherever you and Stiles happened to be,” Kenna called from where she was toeing off her shoes. 

“No secrets among werewolves huh?” Stiles said with a small sigh as Kenna came into view. 

“Stiles, I don’t think you could keep a secret if you tried,” Kenna said good-naturedly. Stiles made a face at her before stepping away to return to the chicken on the stove. 

“So have you come to collect your things before running back into the arms of Mr. Fiancé?” Stiles asked over his shoulder, a teasing smile on his lips. 

Derek sighed when the front door opened and Stiles pulled away, definitely not ready to stop kissing Stiles after the sex and the nap they'd gotten to have together. That had been nice. Derek was sure going to miss Kenna when she really moved out but he would definitely be able to get used to having Stiles all to himself. 

"We're having sex on the kitchen island as we speak. Come back never," Derek called back with a little smirk though it was obvious he was joking and Kenna made a face at him coming into the kitchen. 

"Feeling the love there, Derek. Thanks," she said, sticking out her tongue at him and hopping up to sit on the counter. She turned back to Stiles and smiled, tilting her head and shaking it a bit. "I'm not moving in with Jacob yet, not until after the wedding. He's old fashioned and likes to do things the traditional way. I'll stay here with you guys until the wedding and then Jake and I will move in together once we get back from our honeymoon. Don't you worry. You're not losing me yet." She leaned over to press a smacking kiss to Stiles' cheek and then hopped off the counter, going to kiss Derek's cheek as well. "I'm going upstairs to take a well deserved nap. Your mom filled me in on what happened around here today. Sorry to say but I am not at all upset that I wasn't here, to be honest." 

“Well I’m sure as hell glad that I was here,” Stiles said with a smirk, “I mean, admittedly, I don’t really have a frame of reference but Christ, that man has some magic hands.” He waggled his eyebrows suggestively making Kenna pretend to throw up. 

“Too much information there, Stiles,” she said with a grimace, though the playfulness in her eyes spoke towards her real attitude. 

“What can I say? I’m excited about it,” Stiles laughed. He turned the stove on low again before taking a run at Derek, jumping up to wrap his legs around the man’s waist. Without even thinking about it, he leaned down to nuzzle Derek’s neck the way that Derek always did to him. 

“It is pretty amazing,” Kenna commented with a tilt of her head, “What are the odds? Stiles just happened to get caught for the first time in his entire life and Laura and Derek just happened to attend that particular auction. It’s almost like fate.”

“Better than fate,” Stiles said dramatically, “Destiny.” He and Kenna burst into laughter moments later, Stiles still clinging to Derek. She had a point though. They had come together in what had honestly been extraordinary circumstances. If either one of them had done something different, it was entirely possible that they would not be here today. Even after such a short time, Stiles couldn’t imagine a future without Derek. 

Derek caught Stiles in his arms automatically, ears still flaming red from Stiles' less than subtle innuendos into the sex they'd had since finding out they were pretty much specifically created for each other. He supported Stiles easily enough and tilted his head aside with a soft noise when Stiles nuzzled in. Stiles was picking up his scenting habits and it was great. Stiles could scent Derek anytime he wanted to, to be honest. 

"Well, I'm grateful for whatever it was that got us Stiles," Derek decided with a nod and tilted Stiles' chin down to kiss him sweetly right there in front of Kenna even though he wasn't huge on PDA. 

Kenna made a soft noise of approval and when Derek broke the kiss he smiled dopily at Stiles. "You two are adorable," Kenna said with a happy sigh and a nod, grinning at them both. "However I'm exhausted. Jacob and I were busy last night. I'm going to go shower and then probably sleep. Maybe I don't know," she said, waving her hand. "Maybe I'll come watch a movie with you two if you're not getting your sex on upstairs." 

Stiles could really get lost in kissing Derek. It was actually becoming a problem. In the short few seconds that Derek had kissed him in front of Kenna, Stiles had forgotten she was even there, only remembering when she spoke. He blushed a little bit at her words, but Stiles wasn't one who was shamed that easily.

"Well if my teenage libido has anything to say about it, we probably won't get to watch that movie today," he said with a smile and a wink, "Or tomorrow. Or ever really." Kenna just rolled her eyes and shook her head, giving both boys a quick kiss on the cheek before heading upstairs. 

"I'll see you the next time you both have clothes on," she called behind her. Stiles laughed and rested his head against Derek's shoulder.

"You know the fact that you wear clothes at all is a sin," Stiles murmured to Derek, kissing at his neck, "And if I wasn't cooking, you wouldn't be wearing anything." He gave Derek a wide grin as he jumped down from his arms and returned to the stove. It was fun, having that kind of power over someone, to get them worked up like that. Stiles was discovering new things about himself the longer that he was with Derek, and the most recent one was probably that he's a bit of a tease. 

"Sleep well, Kenna," Derek told Kenna, pressing a kiss to the top of her head before she got too far. She would always be like a little sister to him even if she was getting married and moving out of the house. He almost felt like his little bird was leaving the nest but he'd never admit that to anyone. At least he wouldn't have to worry about empty nest syndrome because he'd have Stiles there with him to fill it up again with laughter and happiness. 

He blushed when Stiles said he'd rather Derek be naked and that Derek would definitely be naked if he wasn't cooking. Turns out Stiles was a huge tease but Derek really didn't mind that. He moved up behind Stiles at the stove and wrapped his arms around Stiles' waist, aligning his whole body up the length of Stiles' back. 

"Yea? Well once Kenna moves out we never have to wear clothes when we're at home if you don't want to. I'd be more than okay with getting to see you naked all the time," he hummed quietly, pressing his lips to two little moles on the back of Stiles neck just over the little knob at the top of his spine. He ran his hands down Stiles' ribs and sides, stopping at his hips and sliding around to his lower belly. 

Stiles felt Derek’s hands on him and immediately stopped breathing, his heart speeding up ever so slightly. It hadn’t even been a conscious decision, just something that happened when he felt the way that Derek pressed against him, the gentle touch of his fingers, the strong, safe feeling of his arms wrapped around Stiles. It was insane, how in tune they were with each other already. In fact, it was a little scary, soul bond or not. It seemed impossible for two people to be so completely perfect for each other. Were he and Derek ever going to argue? Get into screaming matches? Have awesome make-up sex? Sure, the last question wasn’t really important, but the first two were. Stiles wasn’t sure that any given relationship was completely healthy if there wasn’t a good amount of disagreement now and then. That’s what a relationship was after all, accepting someone and working through your differences. 

“Food’s done,” Stiles said after another moment of poking the chicken around, “Don’t expect it to be all that good though. This is basically my first time using a real kitchen.” He wiggled out of Derek’s grasp to grab some plates and slid the food onto them, turning to put them on the table before getting them something to drink. They could talk about Stiles’ worries later. He distinctly remembered Derek saying something about getting a cat and then working on finding Stiles’ father, both of which could definitely come before Stiles’ petty worries. 

Derek could feel a slight shift in the atmosphere, in Stiles' mood. But Stiles seemed okay at the moment so he pushed it away and helped him serve up the plates. Derek smiled and shook his head, filling two glasses with ice water for them both and going to set them on the table. "I'm sure it'll be great, Stiles. It smells great," he said reassuringly, reaching over to squeeze Stiles' fingers once on his way back to the fridge. "Do you want me to heat up some green beans from the other day to go with it?" 

“Sounds great,” Stiles said with a nod. Moments later, they were both settled in with their food and all that could be heard was the clinking of silverware against plates. Stiles was a bit nervous, carefully watching Derek’s reaction as he ate, wanting to see what he really thought of the chicken despite what he was going to say. “So where did you want to start with finding my dad?” Stiles blurted out a few minutes later, a question that had been on his mind since yesterday. He, personally, had very little idea of where to start, just a general vicinity. It wasn’t exactly the most helpful thing ever. 

Derek warmed up the green beans quickly and served the both of them some before they both went to sit down at the table. He took a bite of the chicken and made a soft little noise, looking up at Stiles. "This is really good. You shouldn't sell yourself short," he said honestly, taking another bite. It wasn't the best chicken he'd ever had but it was really good; the spices Stiles had used were ones Derek wouldn't know what to do with. Well that wasn't all true, there were things that he'd use them for but he'd never think to use them on chicken or all together. It was really good.

He was sipping at his water when Stiles asked about his father and Derek understood the shift in mood. Stiles had been thinking about looking for his father and it made him nervous or anxious, both probably. Derek could understand that. He licked his lips and set his glass down carefully, taking a moment to sort his thoughts and readjust himself. "That depends on you, I suppose," he answered finally, looking over at Stiles. "If you can remember the last place that you were then we can start there. I think I'd like to send Isaac first to see if he can catch a trail or something to go off of. He's the best tracker out of the pack and if anyone can pick up a trail it'll be him. Otherwise we'll go off what you know; any patterns that you can remember from moving around. Once we find them, we'll assess the situation; see about what sort of security they have, see if we can figure out where your father is. We have to be very careful. We don't want to alert the whole encampment of our arrival. I think it would be best if we acted when there aren't a lot of people around, got your father to come with us quietly."

Stiles nodded gently, listening to Derek’s words and considering them seriously. Honestly, he never really knew where they were at any given time. Anyone that was under the age of eighteen wasn’t allowed to look at the maps, which Stiles thought was the stupidest rule ever because how are they supposed to find their way back if they were taken like Stiles was and managed to escape. Or find themselves with their soul mate. Both options apparently work to the same end. 

“We stuck to the forests. Rural communities. Never went anywhere that had a population above a couple thousand,” Stiles said slowly as he tried to think, organizing information in his head, “We were definitely towards the east coast because we did this whole thing where we went from west to east. More northern too, based on how cold it would get. I would start around the Pennsylvania area, but they’re long gone by now. I sent out the signal and they would’ve packed up and moved without a second thought. Probably even further north? The denser the forests the better.” Stiles wished he could be more helpful, but their movements were erratic and haphazard at best. If you became predictable, you became a target. Stiles had heard stories of camps that always followed the same trails year after year and once the werewolves picked up on it, they were done for. 

“As for sending someone in, that’s probably a horrible idea,” Stiles added after a moment, “I can tell you all about the security and the lookouts and the signals, but even avoiding all those is useless. You, or any of your pack, are strangers. Werewolf or human, strangers are unwanted. It’s a very shoot-first-ask-questions-later environment. If you let me get close enough, I can get a signal to my dad, one that we made up years ago in case we ever got separated. He’d come out to me, and we could talk.”

Derek considered what Stiles said, nodding with pursed lips and taking a bite of his food. He swallowed it down with his water and then rubbed his fingers over his jaw. "If they're shoot-first-ask-questions-later type of people, I'm not sure how comfortable I am letting you get too close. You've been missing to them for weeks at least. You sent the signal to tell them to move on but you didn't rejoin them. Which tells them you were captured. If you get close again, if someone just happens to see you?" he posed, raising his brows a little. "Stiles, I'm- as we plan this out I'm probably...no, I'm going to be over protective of you. I just can't risk you getting hurt. There are a lot of things I would risk but you are not one of those things. So, I'm sorry in advance." Derek took a deep breath and smiled a little at Stiles. He knew that with Stiles' personality he would not appreciate Derek being over protective; he'd be okay with it at first probably but he'd get annoyed sooner or later. It would probably lead to some arguments, glares, maybe even yelling. But they'd get through it, wouldn't they? They were made for each other so they had to get through it. But there was nothing in the world that was worth risking Stiles for, not in Derek's book. "As soon as we're done eating I'll call the others over, we'll figure out where to start, when to start. It's going to take awhile though, to eliminate as much risk as possible."

“Life is full of risk, Derek,” Stiles countered, “If anyone can get close enough, it’s me. Caught or not, if I came back they would assume I escaped first before anything.” He knew that he shouldn’t push, but this was his father, his patched together family. Sure, when it came down to the wire, all Stiles had was blood, but on the day to day, everyone tried to look out for each other. It was an unspoken understanding. Scott would get it. Stiles could understand that Derek would be worried, but he wasn’t going to let it stand in his way. He may cooperate in the beginning, but if something went wrong, if he had an opportunity to get to his father, he would take it no matter how dangerous. This was his family. Stiles finished up the food on his plate and stood up. He dropped his dishes in the sink and stopped by where Derek was still sitting to give him a soft kiss on the cheek. “I’m going to shower,” he murmured, lips brushing against Derek’s stubble. He didn’t want to start a fight when there was nothing to fight about. At least, not yet. He was almost positive that both of their forceful personalities would clash over this more than once before it was over and he could only hope that they were going to come through it alright. He jogged up the stairs to Derek’s room and stripped out of the few articles of clothing he had put on when he woke up. A nice, hot shower sounded perfect, especially before getting into something like tracking people that were very good at not being found. 

"Stiles-" Derek tried but Stiles was already walking away. He wanted to argue that Stiles had literally just said that the people in those camp were shoot first ask later. He wanted to argue that someone might be new who didn't recognize him and they'd shoot him and then what? Stiles would be dead before someone who recognized him could stop them. Derek would kill every single one of them if Stiles ended up dead. Then he'd probably kill himself if he was being honest. It may've been extreme but a world without Stiles living in it wasn't one that Derek wanted to live in either. He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down before getting up. He hadn't finished his food but thinking about Stiles getting hurt more or less killed his appetite. He saved the food in a plastic container and then loaded the dishes into the dishwasher. He started it up and then just stood there for a moment before deciding to go try and get some work done in his office. He didn't need a shower and he didn't think Stiles wanted him to join in either so he may as well be productive. He looked around the kitchen but it was all clean so he climbed the stairs to the library and then into his office that was attached. First thing was to check his emails; responding to the important ones more in depth and then sending quick apologies to the less urgent ones. When that was done, he pulled a set of blueprints from his shelf and went to work at his drafting table, grabbing a pencil. As an afterthought, he sent a quick text to Erica, Boyd, Isaac, and Kira before getting down to work. 

Stiles took way too long in the shower. He knew it. Derek probably knew. Hell, Kenna might even know it. It wasn’t for any perverted reasons either, it had just occurred to Stiles that there was no reason for him to take a five second shower. He didn’t have to jump in and then get right back out because they had snuck into someone’s house while they were away and the next person in line wanted some hot water. Stiles could take as long as he damn well pleased, so he did. He used Derek’s shampoo and body wash, figuring that the werewolf would like that. When he finally got out, he dug through Derek’s dresser until he found a t-shirt and sweatpants as well. He had run out of clothes from the little bag he had brought up and was too lazy to get more from downstairs. Besides, he didn’t actually know if he would actually be sleeping in that room now that he and Derek had sorted everything out. The sweatpants hung a little lower on his hips than he was used to, but the length of the shirt covered it up. Stiles made his way downstairs again to see that the kitchen was empty. He had no way of knowing where Derek had gone, so he opened up the fridge and peered inside, trying to decide what he wanted to drink. That’s when the front door opened. 

“I smell mingling,” Erica sing-songed as she waltzed into the kitchen, Boyd and Isaac behind her, along with a girl Stiles had met at the family dinner whose name he couldn’t remember. 

“Wearing his clothes too,” Boyd pointed out with a tilt of his head. 

“Someone is possessively scenting,” Isaac said, emphasizing the last two words ever so slightly to make sure that Derek would hear them. 

“Umm, hello?” Stiles greeted, still unsure how to act around the three betas. 

“Oh honey,” Erica said with a small smile, “Don’t be embarrassed. We all would’ve known the second we came in, even if Laura didn’t call us.” She tapped her nose meaningfully and Stiles could only blush wildly. They must live closer than Derek’s family, since they got here so quickly. 

“I… uh… umm,” Stiles stammered, his flush spreading down his neck. 

Derek heard his betas arrive at the house but he was finally on a roll with the home he was working on for a family with kids and he didn't want to stop right then. In a normal tone of voice he told the others to come upstairs when they were ready and to leave Stiles alone if they didn't want to have a few broken bones. He figured since they were there they could also get some training in afterwards. They'd need to start training more if they were going to pull off getting Stiles' father back for him. 

Erica pursed her lips downstairs and sighed, shaking her head. "Derek said to come upstairs and for us to leave you alone," she said, seeming to be put out by it but she relaxed when Boyd took her hand in his own. 

"Come on, Derek's in his office," Isaac added, heading back to the foyer and up the stairs. 

Erica winked at Stiles playfully as she and Boyd followed after Isaac and Kira waited patiently for Stiles to join them before falling into step next to him. "I'm Kira, if you don't remember. I'm usually bad with names too but I know who you are obviously," she said with a smile, tucking dark hair behind her ear as she looked over at Stiles. "I'm not a werewolf. I'm a kitsune. Which is basically like a werefox, I guess, but I can also do this." She held up her hands, palms facing each other, and electricity sparked between them brightly for a moment before she dropped them again. "Cool huh? I can also do fire but I'm not as good as that and I don't want to accidentally burn down Derek's house." 

Stiles listened to Kira with extreme interest. He’d never even heard of a kitsune. Well, that wasn’t entirely true. He didn’t know they actually existed. Werewolves were hard enough to handle, but this somehow made it worse. Just how many mythological creatures actually existed and were out there going bump in the night? Stiles decided he would try to not think about it. It wasn’t exactly a pleasant thought, after all. Not that supernatural creatures were unpleasant, just the not knowing. That was very unpleasant. 

The five of them entered the office together and without even noticing, Stiles gravitated towards Derek a bit while the others remained closer to the doorway. He couldn’t help it. He felt this weird need to touch the older man and be close. Maybe it was because of their small disagreement earlier. Stiles could tell that was going to be a problem in the upcoming days. Stiles stopped awkwardly halfway between Derek and the rest of his pack, unsure if he should actually get any closer or not. He didn’t know if Derek wanted to focus, he didn’t even know if Derek meant for Stiles to come upstairs as well. 

“So am I safe in assuming that there is a reason behind this little gathering?” Isaac said, leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed. Kira gave him a gentle shove. 

“Why does there have to be a reason for a little bonding?” she countered, though she knew that it was probably a little more serious than that. Stiles’ fingers twitched towards Derek and Erica gave him a knowing smile. Well, more of a knowing smirk, but he could sense the love behind it. Sort of. Derek’s pack was a little hard to get a read on, but Stiles was sure that he just had to get to know them, just like anybody else. 

Derek gave Stiles a small encouraging smile but he stood instead, putting down his pencil and getting up from the blueprint drawings he was working on. He moved to Stiles' side instead and rested a hand on his back, standing close. "There's a reason, yes. We can talk in the library where there's room to sit," he answered, waving them back through the door and following behind them with Stiles. He knew it would make Stiles a little bit more comfortable to have the other werewolves in front of them instead of out of sight even if he was coming around to them. 

Erica and Boyd took up a small, plush suede loveseat, curling together. Kira took an armchair and Isaac sat on the floor by her legs, leaning against them. So Derek led Stiles to the sofa that faced both and sat down as well so that they were all comfortable. 

"So what's going on, boss man?" Kira asked, combing idle fingers through Isaac's thick curls. 

"We're working on a...project. All of us. And we're going to keep it to ourselves for now okay?" Derek replied, moving his arm from behind Stiles' back to hold his hand openly instead. "We're going to find Stiles' father and convince him to come back with us." 

The others were all quiet for a moment and then Erica grinned, all wide excitement and sharp white teeth. "Excellent. I feel like I'm in some action summer blockbuster already. Can we have cool codenames?" 

Derek rolled his eyes and sighed. "We can come up with that later. This is serious, Erica," Derek responded, fond exasperation in his tone but also just the slightest hint of a warning. Erica huffed but she sobered up with a nod, smoothing back thick curls and settling more firmly against Boyd. Derek looked at the others and continued. "We're also going to start training more frequently, starting today. And Stiles, I'm going to be training you to fight as well. If you insist on being close to this then I'm not going to let you do it without being able to protect yourself, alright?" 

Stiles could feel himself relax the second that Derek made contact with him and it was weird how that was really the only thing making him tense. One point of contact, and he felt completely at ease. He definitely wanted to do more research on this whole soul bond situation, just to settle his curiosity if nothing else. He was glad that the others were on board, especially for such a selfish request. They had no reason to want to find Stiles’ father and it was going to be dangerous and yet they all seemed up for it. Even though he knew it was mostly for Derek, Stiles was touched. He came back into the conversation more fully when he realized that Derek was speaking to him. 

“I’m a little offended that you think I can’t fight now,” Stiles said, eyebrows raised, a smile playing on his lips, “Humans aren’t all for one and one for all. Running into another encampment in the forests or on a loot run could be deadly. After all, there’s only so much room for all of us to hide.” It was an unfortunate truth, but one that should have been expected. In population dense areas, there was no way that the humans would be able to spread out and not be caught. Stiles had only heard of the frenzy from the first few years. It had mostly settled down, but coming across another group was still something to be avoided at all costs. 

“Alright then, Bruce Lee, why don’t you show us what you can do?” Erica said, her smile playful, but predatory. 

“What about planning and stuff?” Isaac piped up. 

“Boring,” Erica declared, “Train first, planning later.” Stiles sort of agreed, but he wasn’t so sure about immediate training either. He wasn’t the worst fighter, but he also wasn’t the best. Not to mention, his strength would do little to nothing against the werewolves. He wasn’t exactly looking to embarrass himself. Not to mention that his father hadn’t really taught him to fight fair. The goal was always staying alive, and if you had to play dirty then you did it. 

Derek frowned thinking about Stiles having to learn to fight for food and fight for his place and fight for safety. He hated the idea of Stiles having to fight for anything. But that was all in the past. "Fine, without knowing how to fight better," he amended lightly, not wanting to insult Stiles. It's not that he didn't think Stiles could fight but they all still needed training and Derek wanted to make sure Stiles got it too, since he was the human of the group. It would just make him feel a lot better about the whole situation. "Anyway. I'm going to send Isaac and Kira to see if you can find a scent trail to track the humans. If you can but don't find them or if you can't then you'll come back here and we'll make a new plan. If you can and do find them then you will keep a significant distance without losing them and the rest of us will meet you there to assess the situation and figure out how to get Stiles' father away from the group so that we can safely talk to him." 

"Why do only Isaac and Kira get to go?" Erica asked with a pout, folding her arms petulantly. 

"Isaac is the fastest and Kira is the quietest. Also she has the defensive abilities in case anything happens," Derek answered with a little sigh and Boyd rubbed Erica's shoulders to calm her down. 

"Okay. Is that all you were going to tell us?" Boyd asked, not in a bored tone but just because he knew Erica was getting antsy and needed to run around to get out some of her energy. 

"Yea, can we go train now?" Isaac asked, smiling widely and managing to look like a little kid asking for cotton candy. 

"I suppose so unless Stiles has anything else to add?" Derek responded, looking over at Stiles, the others following his gaze all with hopeful expressions except Boyd who looked just as placid as ever.

“Umm,” Stiles said slowly, surprised at the spotlight having been placed on him, “In the event that you get too close, I would go to a local Goodwill or something and get some clothes that don’t fit. Roll around in the dirt a little. Don’t shower for a day or two if you can manage. The more human you look, the safer you’ll be, mostly because you look young. If they found someone like Derek, human or not, they’d probably start a fight. Uhh, there’s going to be sentries about 200-300 feet from the camp at any given time, usually up in the trees, usually anywhere from my age to younger.” Stiles was quiet for a moment, thinking. “Oh, if you hear this specific bird call,” he paused to demonstrate it, “Fall back. You’ve been seen and the camp will either move or come confront you.” They made it so one would make the call and whoever heard it would repeat it and so on until the signal made it back to camp. It wasn’t perfect, but it always got the job done. 

“Got it,” Isaac said, giving a serious nod. It was almost laughable, seeing him look so serious when all the times Stiles had seen him, he was all smiles. 

“Come on, let’s go,” Erica said, standing up, “I wanna kick some of your asses at least once today.” She took Boyd’s hand and made her way out of the room, presumably to the backyard. Isaac and Kira were quick to follow. Stiles sat by Derek, waiting for him to move as well. He figured they would all shift and have some wolf training time and Stiles could watch before his inevitable turn and consequential embarrassment of himself. 

“Thank you,” Stiles blurted out, as it had suddenly occurred to him that he had never really said that to Derek before, at least not regarding this, “You really don’t have to, but thank you.” Honestly, Derek didn’t have to do anything for Stiles and the fact that he was going this far to find his father was touching. 

Derek listened to what Stiles had to say seriously, filing away all the information for later. He didn't want to forget anything because if they left out one little detail it could put them in danger. Derek was not much of a risk taker usually and going to find Stiles' father - even if he was human surrounded by humans - was a risk. Humans could still be dangerous if not handled properly. A human had almost killed his family once so he wasn't going to underestimate them at all. The others all got out to head to the backyard where they did their warm ups and training. Luckily they must have suspected there would be some sort of physical activity because none of them were particularly dressed up. 

Derek looked to Stiles when he was thanked and he stood them both up, leaning in to Stiles to press a soft kiss to his lips. "You don't have to thank me for anything, Stiles. I told you before, I want you to be happy here and I know that you couldn't be truly happy without your dad. I understand that and I want him to be safe too," he murmured, kissing Stiles' forehead and then taking his hand. "Come on, let's head downstairs with the others." 

Derek led the way down and out to the back yard where the others were already warming up, stretching out their muscles. Derek nodded approvingly and then cleared his throat. "Twenty laps around the house. No shifting," he called to the others and they didn't even complain, taking off quickly and whooping and hollering as they chased and raced each other. Derek shook his head fondly and looked down at Stiles. "They're like little children, I swear." 

Stiles chuckled as he watched the betas take off at incredible speeds, even unshifted. "Isn't that how kids are supposed to act?" he said, giving Derek a gentle little nudge in the side, though he didn't move away from the werewolf. It kind of made him happy, seeing people his age actually act their own ages. Stiles hadn't felt like whooping and yelling in a long time, especially after Scott had been taken because then he had no one to whoop and yell with. Even if that reality was still a long way to be something that humans also experience, Stiles had hope. 

"So what do you have for me Derek?" Stiles asked, playfulness coloring his tone as he began jogging in place, "Do I get laps around the house? Maybe sit ups instead? Push-ups? Come on, hit me with your best shot." Admittedly, Stiles was better at running than anything else, but he still had a fair amount of muscle on him. He'd never really had the opportunity until now to show Derek what he was really made of, to show him that he wasn't as fragile and breakable as he looked. Stiles was hopping from foot to foot now, positively thrumming with energy. 

Erica and the rest of them shot past, having finished their first lap. Or maybe it was more than that? Stiles hadn't really been paying all that much attention. With the promise of any kind of physical or mental activity, Stiles became very singularly focused and at the moment that focus was on Derek, waiting for some kind of instruction or direction.

Derek wasn't sure how to respond. He didn't want to insult Stiles by not giving him enough of a challenge but he didn't want to give him too much to do either so he wouldn't overwork himself. So he smiled and decided to leave it to Stiles, reaching for his hand. "I could give you something more fun to do," he offered but it was obvious he was only teasing as he leaned in to steal a kiss from Stiles' mouth. "Why don't you run laps with the others while I pull some stuff from the garage? Don't overwork yourself though. We're doing more than just running." 

Stiles smiled and slid a hand behind Derek's head to pull him in for a longer kiss, taking a step closer to bring them together. A loud wolf whistle pulled him out of his happy little bubble and he turned to see the group of betas and Kira running past them again. Stiles blushed and stepped away, stretching out his legs and arms for a moment, his eye on the corner of the house where the betas would come around again. He got himself into a starting position and waited. The second the group came around again, Stiles was off like a shot. He was only in step with them for a few moments before falling behind, but he didn't seem to care, a smile on his face as he rounded the first corner of the house. He was sure that the wolves would lap him over and over, but as long as he didn't completely wipe out, he'd be fine.

Derek returned the second kiss Stiles took from him and then watched as he took off after the betas, smiling fondly as they all disappeared around the corner of the house. Derek could still hear them whooping and hollering, calling Stiles on but not in a condescending way. They really were trying to encourage Stiles on. Derek was glad how easily they had accepted Stiles into the pack as one of them. Derek headed to the side of the house and through the side door into the garage, moving over to the other end where he kept what weapons he owned. They didn't really need to use weapons but Talia had always told them that the more ways they had to defend themselves the better, in case anything were to happen. He placed his hand on the print scanner and the lock clicked open after a moment so he went through pulling out a few things. He'd practice with Kira with the katanas while the other three practiced close combat with knives. He also pulled a few things he thought Stiles would be able to use. He wasn't sure what kind of weapons they had had within Stiles' old encampment or if Stiles had ever been allowed to use them, but he needed to learn now for his own sake. 

If there was something Stiles was good at, it was running. He just had this natural ability to pace himself perfectly and it took a lot for him to tire out. Plus he was fast, something that he took great pride in. Every once in a while, some of the older kids would have little races and things to just kind of practice and win some gloating rights. No one ever beat Stiles in a race. Now, as Erica pinched his ass for the second time as they lapped him, Stiles couldn’t help but miss those days. He shook his head, pushing himself harder and faster, trying to catch up even though he knew he couldn’t. Damn werewolves. They all called to him, teasing playfully for him to catch up, making Stiles laugh. They finally started to slow down, Stiles assumed for their cool down lap, and he shot passed them, tugging on Erica’s hair gently as he did as payback. 

“Oh you think you’re funny do you?” Erica shouted. 

“It’s only fair!” Stiles shouted back with a laugh. 

“Oh yeah? Well then so is this,” Erica yelled back, a smile on her face. 

“Oh shit,” Stiles breathed as he watched her speed up. He only had one more corner of the house to clear before he could run and hide behind Derek and use him as a shield. Stiles was not above using the alpha to protect himself from Erica’s wrath. He shut his eyes and put forth a final burst of speed that he didn’t know he had. He could hear Erica getting closer and closer. He knew that he couldn’t outrun her for long, he just needed to do it for long enough. He swung around the corner of the house, sliding so that he didn’t have to lose speed by making the actual turn. Erica was maybe a foot behind him now and Stiles dodged to the side, running straight up to Derek and hooking an arm around the man’s waist to stop himself and swing around to hide behind his back, laughing breathlessly. 

“Remind me not to pull her hair,” he panted, a smile on his face. 

"Oh sure, hide behind the big bad wolf. He can't protect you forever you know," Erica said with a sharp smirk, blood red painted lips stretching over sharp teeth. 

Derek rolled his eyes and shifted to get his arm around Stiles, pulling him back so that he was against Derek's side instead of behind him. The others came tumbling all over each other from the same direction Erica and Stiles had. "Alright alright," he said with a small indulgent smile. "Kira, I want you warming up with the katana. You can pull one of the dummies out if you want." He held out the sheathed Japanese sword for her and she took it with a smile, looping the strap over her shoulder. "Boyd, Isaac, and Erica, you're working with close combat fighting with knives. No maiming this time please," he offered the box containing the daggers to Isaac who nodded and opened it up, passing a knife to each of his pack mates. Derek turned to Stiles next and smiled. "I don't know what sort of experience you have with weapons so right now I'm going to start you out with this." He held out a gun in a holster, a matte black Beretta with a mother of pearl inlaid handle. "I'll go set up a couple of targets for you to practice on, alright?"

Stiles nodded silently, taking the gun in his hands slowly and carefully. They didn’t have much in the way of weapons. Most things they had to make. Fishing rods, sticks sharpened to a point, things like that. They had taken an axe once, from someone’s tool shed, and they grabbed kitchen knives whenever they broke into an actual house. Guns though, guns were rare. Stiles is pretty sure they only had two and he had only ever seen one of them once. They barely ever took them out, considering they didn’t have any ammunition to spare. It would have to be a pretty dire situation for them to break out the guns. He was really only trained in hand-to-hand combat, since there was never a guarantee of having a weapon. Stiles slid down to sit on the grass and stretch out so that he wouldn’t be sore later, placing the gun on the ground next to him. He eyed it like it was suddenly going to come to life. It was weird that something so small could end someone’s life in under a minute. In fact, it was a little scary. He could hear the sounds of the rest of the pack training around him, but they were far enough away that he wasn’t really worried about getting hurt. He wondered if he would even be any good with a gun. He was pretty good at spear fishing, but he mostly just made snares. He’d never really had an occasion to work on his aim. 

Derek moved away from Stiles again to go back into the garage, pulling out the target stands and fresh target sheets along with an extra clip of ammo just in case. He headed back out to the expansive yard and started pacing out, setting the first target at thirty yards, the next at sixty, another at a hundred, and the last at a hundred fifty. When he was done setting them up he jogged back to where Stiles was, stopping to correct Erica's stance against Boyd and Isaac. "Okay, are you ready?" Derek asked, digging into his pocket to pull out a small plastic case that he popped open revealing two pairs of earplugs. "You'll need these until you get used to the sound. I don't want you to damage your ear drums."

“This is a horrible idea,” Stiles suddenly blurted out, looking up at Derek with wide eyes from where he was still seated on the ground from stretching, the gun sitting heavily in his hands, still safely in its holster. He looked down at the gun and then over to the targets and back up at Derek, insecurity and worry dancing over his face. “There’s no way this is safe. I could kill someone!” Stiles went on, feeling a wave of panic rise up on his chest. He had never even touched a gun before today, let alone shot one. What if he lost control of it somehow? What if he shot it by accident? What if he hurt Erica, or Boyd, or Isaac, or Kira? What if he hurt Derek? What if he killed Derek? Stiles’ stomach clenched at the thought and it felt like his heart was being torn in two. He couldn’t do this, not with something as uncontrollable as a gun.

"Stiles, shhh hey, calm down," Derek said gently, kneeling in front of Stiles. He carefully removed the gun from Stiles' hands and put it aside, taking Stiles' hands in his and meeting his gaze. "Just focus on me and breathe, alright? Listen. I know guns are scary the first time you hold them but the thing about guns is that they are completely at your control. If you learn how to handle them properly then they're not dangerous to anyone except the person or thing you're using it on. I'll help you okay? I won't let you hurt yourself or anyone else. And even if you accidentally shoot one of us, these aren't wolfsbane bullets so they won't kill us. They'll just hurt a little." He rubbed Stiles' hands warmly and sighed, tilting his head a little to the side. "This is the easiest weapon to handle and control. I promise that I won't let anything go wrong. Can you trust me to do that?"

Stiles was quiet for a moment, just trying to focus on Derek’s hands covering his own and regulating his breathing. He wasn’t cut out for this. He may have been forced to survive out there, but that didn’t mean he was ready to fight out there. Finally, he looked back up a Derek, a wavering smile on his face. “I trust you,” he said softly, “I do. It’s me that I don’t trust. Clumsy, ADHD me.” For the most part, having to live with it for his entire life with little to no medication, Stiles had plenty of workable coping strategies that helped him stay focused and release energy, but there were days when it got the best of him and if that day happened to be one where he was holding a gun, things could get messy very easily. Not wanting to talk about it, Stiles didn’t give Derek a chance to respond. Instead he leaned forward, gave the other man a soft kiss on the cheek, and stole a pair of earplugs, rolling them around in his hands as he stood up and looked down towards the targets. “Let’s get this party started.” 

Derek sighed and he stood up with Stiles, needing him to relax before he put a gun in his hands. He took a deep breath and stepped up behind Stiles, taking the gun from the holster. "Here, we'll work on stance and grip first okay? The gun doesn't need to be loaded for that," he suggested, letting Stiles see how he slid the magazine free of the gun to tuck in his pocket. He pulled back the slide and checked the chamber before racking it so the bullet would eject. "There. No bullets alright? We'll go slowly. I promise."

Stiles nodded, not really realizing how much better that would make him feel until the weight from gone from his shoulders. Now it was just a useless hunk of junk. Can’t kill anyone with an unloaded gun. He took it into his hands when Derek offered it to him this time, feeling the weight and how it felt against his palm. He knew it would probably be heavier with the magazine loaded, but for now he just tried to get used to this. “Alright, direct away,” Stiles said, standing regularly, his arms hanging by his sides. He had no idea how to even begin to stand except for that the gun had to be pointed towards whatever it was he was supposed to be shooting, which he hoped would be nobody. 

"Alright, first let me show you this," Derek said, standing behind Stiles and lifting his hand that had the gun in it. He held it in front of both of them. "When you're not going to shoot you always keep your finger on the trigger guard. Don't put your finger on the trigger until you're actually ready to pull it and shoot, okay? Right now the safety is on so even if you do pull the trigger it won't shoot. The safety is right here under the hammer." He pointed to a small catch that flicked up or down. "These are your sights. There's a rear and a front sight so when you're shooting you want to make sure they line up with your target. You pull the slide to load the first bullet in a magazine but after that you don't have to touch it again until you empty the clip and reload. You can also pull and rack the slide to eject a bullet from the chamber after removing the magazine. You got all of that before I move on? You can stop me anytime and tell me to slow down or ask questions okay?"

Stiles tried not to lean back into Derek's body, but it was a difficult feat. He felt drawn to the older man and had to shift back just slightly. He made sure to listen carefully, his eyes flitting over the gun to each point that Derek mentioned. "No I got it, keep going," he said confidently. He went over each thing that Derek had said once more in his head before nodding again. He could do this. Derek was being very calm and collected about this and if he could be calm then Stiles could be calm. He eyes the targets warily, unsure if he would actually be able to hit anything. When it came down to life or death, Stiles wasn't sure if he'd be able to perform, though if Derek was in danger, Stiles wasn't sure what he would do. Most likely something extremely violent. He pressed back against Derek even more just to comfort himself that the man was behind him and was safe.

"Alright, now we'll work on grip, alright? You're right handed so you're going to put that hand first. Take the gun in your left hand like this," Derek said gently, helping Stiles maneuver the weapon correctly. "Now open your right hand so that you see the webbing between your thumb and index finger. You're going to put the grip right there and wrap your middle, ring, and pinkie fingers around the grip, index finger on the trigger guard. Remember, don't put your finger on the trigger until you're ready to shoot. Alright, now squeeze the gun as hard as you possibly can. Squeeze it so hard that your hand starts to shake with the force of it and make sure that your fingers are squeezing straight back and not at an angle, does that make sense?" 

Stiles' brow furrowed in concentration as he watched Derek move his hands around and bend his fingers. This was a little harder to understand and he tried to feel it in the way that Derek was maneuvering him. He was frowning a bit in determination as he tried to follow Derek's directions. Although, it was a tiny bit hard to concentrate with Derek practically wrapped around him. All Stiles wanted to do with curl into him and have everything just magically work out without him having to shoot anybody. That would obviously be ideal, but the world wasn't ideal. "Like this?" Stiles asked, doing what he thought Derek had asked, but unsure if he was doing it right. He'd had no idea that there was so much behind using a gun. Well, he supposed this was probably using a gun right. He doubted the people in the encampment knew much about correct handling of guns. The only one that had any firearm background had been his father. The rest of the people were from completely different walks of life. 

Derek checked the way Stiles was gripping it and he nodded with a smile. "Yea, that's perfect, Stiles," he praised gently, squeezing Stiles' wrist in quiet appraise. "Alright, now loosen your grip just until your hand is no longer shaking. But it should be still really tight. Yea, like that. Take your left hand and cup your other hand in your left palm, lining up your thumbs so that they're on the same side of the gun. Here," Derek gently repositioned Stiles' thumbs and then nodded. "You want to be careful to keep your thumbs out of the way of the slide and the hammer because when the weapon discharges, they both snap back and they can hurt you. Also, the sudden pain would startle you and you don't want to drop a loaded gun and risk accidental discharge." He made minute adjustments to Stiles' fingers until he was satisfied and then nodded. "Some people will try to tell you that you should close one eye for accuracy when you're shooting but I'm going to tell you that's a really bad idea. Especially as a human, no offence intended. You should keep both eyes open. Put your left foot slightly in front of your right; right arm as straight as you can with a slight angle in your left arm. Now," he placed a hand flat on Stiles' belly. "Take a deep breath and relax." 

The praise made Stiles smile and he relaxed just that much more. Knowing that he was handling the gun correctly made him feel a lot better. If he could handle it the right way, then there was less of a chance that someone was going to get hurt. Well, at least not the person that he was trying to shoot. Stiles followed Derek's instructions, moving his feet and arms accordingly. He closed one eye experimentally and saw how it shifted his entire field of vision towards the open eye. It struck him as completely inaccurate and he didn't know why anyone would want to bias their vision like that when shooting something as deadly as a gun. He opened his eyes again and readjusted himself to ensure that everything was correct. Derek's hand on his stomach made his heart flutter, but he made himself focus. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly, focusing on making himself relaxed and calm like Derek had asked. He felt like that was an extremely important part of this lesson. The more relaxed and in control Stiles was, the less likely it was that he would freak out and hurt someone by accident. 

Derek could hear Stiles' heart but he chose not to comment on it. There would be time enough for that later. For now they needed to focus on the gun in Stiles' hands even if it wasn't loaded. "Okay, Stiles, now you're gonna raise the gun and you see these two small pieces sticking up at the muzzle and back near the hammer? Those are the sights. You want to make sure that top of the rear sight is aligned with the top of the front sight and that the rear sight is even with the front," he instructed, helping Stiles raise his arms. "You're going to have to do this part yourself because I can't see what you see exactly. Now the tricky part is wondering where to focus your eyes. You want to focus on the very tip of the front sight even though that makes your target blurry and the rear sight blurry. It's the most accurate way. So for this kind of handgun you want to align the sight at the bottom of your target. For a bulls eye, you want it to be aligned with the bottom edge of the circle, understand?" 

Stiles could tell that they were getting down to the wire now. There was only so much they could do with procedure and form before they had to load the gun and actually practice shooting. That was the point of the gun after all. He followed Derek's instructions, getting used to the way that things blurred into obscurity while he focused on the sights like Derek told him to. He adjusted his arms slightly so that it lined up with the closest target in front of him, angling towards the bottom edge of the circle like Derek had told him. He lined up the sights carefully and then focused like Derek had instructed. "Okay," Stiles finally said, "I think I've got all this. Well, I mean, theoretically. I'm assuming that it's gonna be pretty different when there are actually bullets in the gun that I'm actually going to fire, but hey I mean one step at a time and all that." He tried to give Derek a smile, but he was still a bit nervous. He wondered what it would feel like when he actually shot it hoped to god that he would actually be able to do it if the time came. 

Derek smiled and he pressed a gentle kiss to Stiles' cheek, using his hands to gently lower Stiles' arms and then turning him around. "Hey, you did great. And we can save the actual shooting for another day if you like. We don't have to do it all right now. We can work on your close combat skills if you want," he offered, not wanting to push Stiles too far too fast. They had time to work up to shooting real bullets. Maybe Derek could invest in some dummy rounds, blanks, and/or rubber bullets to work Stiles up to, since he seemed hesitant to use something that could actually hurt someone. Derek didn't have any of those on hand though so he'd have to look into buying some. "Do you want me to show you how it's done? And if you don't want to then you don't have to fire any rounds today. You can keep working on your grip and stance or we can move on to combat training. Whatever you want or whatever you're comfortable with."

Stiles could practically feel the breath whoosh out of him when Derek gave him other options. Part of him just wanted to put the gun down and not think about it for as long as possible, but at the same time he kind of wanted to get it over with. He was quiet for a moment as he thought, trying to decide what would be better. "Let's get it over with," he finally blurted out, "Might as well, right? And if I really can't do it, then we can just not do it, right? I mean, I can always kick your ass instead. I totally can to. You know, if you weren't a werewolf. And maybe with about fifty pounds less of muscle. Then I could totally beat you in a fight." He was rambling and he was nervous, but he stuck by his decision of just doing it now and ripping it off like a bandage. That would make everything easier. Besides, it was time that he grew up. He couldn't count on Derek to protect him and he couldn't depend on his father either. He had to be able to protect himself and this was another step towards that. He held the gun out to Derek so that the older man could show him how to load it properly. 

Derek studied Stiles for a moment. He looked tense and almost on edge and Derek really needed him to be calm and collected before loading active ammunition into the gun. "Stiles...are you sure? You look tense. You don't have to push yourself into this, you know. We can invest in some dummy rounds or blanks or even rubber bullets to start with. You really should be as relaxed as possible when learning. I'm not saying you can't do it. I'm just saying, you don't have to force yourself to," he said, taking the gun that was being offered to him. "There's no shame in waiting until you're ready. I wasn't trying to force you into this either." 

Stiles pushed himself up enough so that he could kiss Derek gently. "I'm just... nervous," he said slowly, trying to figure out how to phrase it correctly, "Not necessarily about firing the gun. Well, yes about firing the gun, but also about everything it means. You know, being able to hurt someone, having such a life-changing power literally in the palm of my hand. But it's... it's something I need to do. I know that you would probably do just about anything to keep my safe, but I need to be able to protect myself in more than just one way. Yesterday showed me that pretty clearly." It was tough for Stiles, admitting that he was weak in any sense of the word. He hated the idea and he hated showing anyone that he was weak, but this would make him stronger in the end. 

"You know," Derek said gently, pulling Stiles close to him and pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You don't always have to take the kill shot. Once your aim is good enough, you could go for an arm or a leg, a shoulder even. It won't kill but it'll certainly put your enemy on the ground for a while. Just because you know how to shoot a gun doesn't mean that you have to be a killer. Just like...being a werewolf doesn't mean I have to be a monster. You can protect yourself without ending a life. And you can bet that I'll be at your back whenever you need me, whenever you're in trouble I'll be there to help or to step in." He rubbed his hands over Stiles' sides and gave him a small smile. "So you're sure you want to do this now? You don't want to wait? Do you want me to demonstrate first? So you can get used to the sound and I can show you how to handle the kick back?"

Stiles took comfort in Derek's closeness and it made him breath a little easier. "Whatever you think would be better," he said simply. Derek did have a point, Stiles had no idea what the kick back would be like. With his luck, he would probably end up hitting himself in the face or something stupid like that. He could already hear Erica laughing after the initial concern was gone. Derek's words helped him calm down as well. Honestly, not taking the kill shot hadn't even crossed Stiles' mind. It was kind of the mindset he had been given. If it came down to you or the other guy, you always choose the other guy. Beating someone and then letting them go with that bitterness and hatred was too dangerous. Almost every confrontation would end in death one way or another. No one liked to take any chances. 

"I'll show you," Derek offered with a soft smile and leaned in to kiss Stiles one more time, trying to kiss the tension out of his muscles so that he could relax. When he pulled away he showed Stiles how to slide the loaded magazine into place and then how to pull back the slide to load the first bullet. "Always remember to keep your thumbs free from the slid and hammer okay? Find a timing for your shooting. I like to do it on a slow exhale before I inhale again. Squeeze the trigger steadily, not suddenly or you'll screw up your aim because the gun will jerk in your hand. And then you just," Derek exhaled slowly and squeezed the trigger. The gunshot was loud as the bullet burst forth from the barrel, Derek managing to keep the gun steady. "Don't lock your wrists when you pull the trigger and don't release it too suddenly. Let the barrel swing up slightly and then down and then keep the barrel pointed towards the target. Then you can take another shot when you're ready. Once you're good enough you can do this. Brace yourself." In rapid succession, Derek emptied the rest of the magazine into the targets; two more into the closest one and four into each target further away. The smell of gunpowder filled the air and Derek pointed the gun at the ground, racking the slide to make sure the chamber was empty and then flicking the safety back on. He turned back to Stiles with a little smirk. "Okay, I was maybe showing off a little. Sorry," he admitted with a sheepish, apologetic little smile. 

Stiles shook his head a little at Derek’s display. It was showing off, quite blatantly too, but he supposed that he would do the same thing if he was trying to impress someone. In fact, he probably had done the same thing at some point in his life. Of course, Derek didn’t really have to impress him. They had kind of skipped that step and jumped right into just being together. He gave Derek a gentle nudge with his elbow and a smile. “Alright, that’s enough from you,” he teased, “You need to give someone else a shot at it.” He smiled a little at his accidental pun and he motioned towards Derek to hand him the gun. He was still pretty nervous about the whole thing, but watching Derek and seeing how easily he controlled the situation made him feel a little better. He couldn’t possibly be as good as Derek, he knew that, but he had faith that he would be able to learn and have the same control. He waited for Derek to hand over the gun before loading it carefully under the werewolf’s watchful supervision. He had to make sure he could load it just as much as he had to know how to shoot it. He kept his fingers away from the slide and the hammer like Derek had said and all too soon, he was ready to go. Stiles took a deep breath and went through it step by step. He adjusted his stance and his grip, remembering not to touch the trigger until he was ready. The safety was still on, but it was a good habit to get into. Stiles raised the gun and lined it up to the target, focusing on his sights carefully before flicking the safety off. “Now or never,” he said, more to himself than anything else. After taking another deep breath, Stiles shifted his finger and pulled the trigger. Everything seemed to slow down a bit as the bullet shot out of the gun and Stiles felt the kick back, remembering not to lock his wrists like Derek had said. He didn’t even look up to see where the bullet had gone. He just flicked the safety back on and let himself sag a bit. 

Derek handed the gun over to Stiles and watched him load it with a nod. Stiles seemed to have very good sense and muscle memory because whatever slight mistakes Derek saw him make, he corrected almost immediately. Derek was impressed, honestly. He watched Stiles' hands to make sure he kept his thumbs out of the way but he was perfect in recreating what Derek had taught him and then he squeezed the trigger, handled the kick back with grace, and flicked the safety back on. Derek glanced at the first target to find Stiles' mark; his own had all gone into the bull’s eye but Stiles' was right between the third and fourth rings out of six. He could've done a lot worse. "That was great, Stiles," Derek praised with raised brows, letting his expression show how much Stiles had impressed him. He knew Stiles wasn't a child, but Derek believed that you never got too old for positive reinforcement. If Stiles knew and saw that Derek thought he did well then he would in turn believe that he did well and would continue to get better. "That was really great. You did much better than Erica did her first time. She didn't even hit the target stand." 

"I hate you for telling him that," Erica shouted from where she was sparring with Boyd and Isaac simultaneously, dodging their blows smoothly and getting in one of her own, leaving Isaac with a long cut on his forearm and a shorter one on Boyd's palm. 

"That was a pretty intense feeling," Stiles said, staring over at the dark where his bullet had made a hole in the large target, "To think that I could squeeze my finger over here and someone dies over there." It was honestly pretty heady. Stiles kind of understood now why his father never wanted him to learn how to shoot or even pick up a gun. It was a little bit of a power rush. A really scary one, yes, but a power rush nonetheless. Stiles still didn't think that he would actually be able to kill anyone and he was still worried about hurting someone he cared about, but the more prepared he was, the less likely he would be to hurt anyone. "Should I go again?" he asked, turning to look back at Derek. He was suddenly filled with this feeling of intense protectiveness. He and Derek were meant to be together from birth and he would fight to keep them together no matter what it took. Honestly, he didn't want Derek to come with him. It would be dangerous to have a werewolf anywhere near their camp and it would be difficult to convince his father that everything was on the up and up, but they were the two most important people in his life and he needed them to like each other. Stiles had no idea how this would turn out, but he could only hope for the best.


	11. Chapter 11

Derek could smell the mix of emotions coming off of Stiles and while some of them were not the good kind of emotions, most of them were good. "Someone doesn't always die, Stiles. Remember that okay? You don't have to kill if it's not absolutely necessary. I can teach you places to shoot that will incapacitate but not kill," he told Stiles gently, standing close to him but trying his best not to hover too badly. He didn't want to annoy Stiles or make him nervous. When asked if he should go again, Derek nodded and gave a small smile. "Sure, if you'd like to go again you can. Before you shoot, try to take into consideration which way the wind is blowing and how hard. If there's just a slight breeze and the target is close then you don't need to adjust that much. If the target is further away and the wind is whipping at your clothes then you may need to make aiming adjustments." Derek stepped in behind him and gently raised Stiles' arms. "Look. You can use the trees as a guide. The branches are swaying towards the right, your hair is blowing. So adjust your aim slightly to the left of the bulls eye to counteract the wind blowing."

Stiles' eyes flickered around his surroundings as Derek pointed out various things for him to notice. He took a deep breath, checking his stance and his grip before taking his aim, slightly to the left like Derek said. He flicked off the safety and took a shot, putting it back on almost as soon as the bullet left the gun. He was a little closer to the bulls-eye this time, but still not quite there. They continued, Derek making minor corrections and Stiles following them perfectly. He was a fast learner. Each time he got closer and closer to the middle of the target until he finally got a few near perfect shots in a row. It had taken an hour or two to get to that point, mostly for the instruction in between each shot, but Stiles found he didn't mind. When the clip was empty, Stiles put the safety back on anyway and handed the gun back to Derek. "I think I'm done with this for today," he said with a small smile. His muscles were a bit achy from how tense he tended to be the seconds before shooting the gun. He'd have to work on that. Maybe he could spar for a little bit instead, since it was still light out. 

Derek was impressed with how quickly Stiles learned but he supposed he shouldn't be surprised. Stiles was incredibly smart on top of his good looks. When Stiles finally flicked the safety back on and handed the gun to Derek, Derek smiled at his mate gently. "Okay. You did great, Stiles. I'm really proud of you," he said gently, ejecting the magazine and checking the chamber to make sure there were absolutely no bullets left. He packed it all back up into it's case and then tugged gently on Stiles' hand until he could wrap his arms around the younger man. He nuzzled in against Stiles' neck and inhaled deeply; Stiles smelt of gunpowder and lead and copper but under that was the scent of Derek's shampoo in his hair and the crisp fresh scent that was all Stiles, electricity and ozone and rain and something sharp that was unique to Stiles. When he pulled back Derek kissed him sweetly before looking him over. "Are you done for the day? Or do you want to try something else?" He asked, leaving it up to Stiles to decide what he wanted to do. 

Stiles felt himself blushing shyly as Derek tugged him back over to more or less cuddle with him, mostly because he caught Erica waggling her eyebrows at them. Still, he wrapped his arms around Derek in return and tilted his head to let him get at his neck easily. It was almost strange how commonplace and instinctual it all was now, how Stiles didn't even blink twice at a behavior that wasn't entirely human. The nuzzling was kind of cute, if he was being honest. He pulled Derek in for a quick second kiss before answering. "I mean, we could do something else if you'd like," he said with a small shrug.

"We're still here!" Erica called over her shoulder.

"Wasn't talking about sex," Stiles called back.

"Sure you weren't," she answered with a laugh.

"I do know how to fight," Stiles said, addressing Derek again and ignoring Erica, "I mean, against you guys it won't do me any good, but I can take down humans pretty well."

Derek gave Erica an exasperated look and Kira giggled into her hand, the two katanas she was working with sheathed at her hips. He focused back on Stiles with a gentle smile and nodded. "I believe you. Why don't you practice with Boyd. He'll be fair on you. Erica would just beat you up and Isaac would be too afraid to bruise you," he suggested with a smirk. Erica pouted but Isaac nodded his agreement sheepishly. Boyd took the suggestion with grace and went to put away his daggers. "Start with the basics, make sure you remember it all, warm yourself up before starting on the harder parts. I want to work with Kira a bit on the katanas." 

When Derek was done speaking, Erica and Isaac moved a ways away so that they would have room to spar without getting in anyone else's way. Kira tossed Derek one of the katanas, which Derek caught gracefully with a smile, and word of thanks. 

Stiles couldn't help but be a bit distracted with the sight of Derek holding a sword. It was way hotter than he thought it would be. He didn't even notice Boyd coming back from putting his daggers away, which led to his feet being swept out from under him and him landing on the ground. Boyd stood over him, hand outstretched. "Don't tell me you don't know rule number one," he teased.

"Don't get distracted," Stiles answered in a mocking tone, accepting Boyd's helping hand. 

"Good, now show me what you can do," Boyd said with a grin. 

Stiles fighting was actually quite a thing to behold. He lost all the clumsiness he had while playing sports or even just walking down the stairs. His movements were fluid and calculated, graceful and smooth. He knew exactly where each move would put him before he got there. He used his lean size and long limbs to his advantage. Boyd restrained a great deal of his strength, really only using what a human his size would have, and even though that was still more than what Stiles possessed, he managed to take Boyd down more than once. He'd had to take down bigger to get food for himself and his father on more than one occasion.

Sword fighting was no joke and as much as Derek wanted to watch Stiles, he also knew that he couldn't half ass sparring with Kira because she would cut off his hand without hesitating. So he focused on dancing around Kira, parrying her advances. In the back of his mind he registered Isaac and Erica stop what they were doing to watch but he didn't bother telling them to get back to sparring. He heard the back door open and then Kenna was stepping outside too. 

A couple of times he beat Kira, knocking her katana away and leveling the point of his blade between her eyes with a smirk. But Kira wasn't one to give up and she didn't stop until she'd beaten Derek just as many times. The last time though, Derek's sword ended up fifty yards away, Derek was on his back and Kira's blade was in his forearm, pinning him to the ground. The pain burned through Derek's veins but he chuckled and grinned, shaking his head. 

"Alright, I surrender. Get this damn thing out of my arm, Firefox," he told her, hissing lightly when she listened to him and removed the blade before helping him up. 

"I really wish you guys would refrain from stabbing each other," Kenna called out, arms folded across her chest and hair messy from sleep. 

"They heal," Stiles called to Kenna with a grin. It had been the mantra that he kept telling himself every time Derek had gotten even remotely hurt. It was the only thing that had kept him from rushing over there each time. Stiles never took his eyes off Boyd. They had agreed that this would be their last fight and Stiles was determined to win it. There was one thing he hadn't tried, something he hadn't done in years and he wasn't sure if he could still do it. He had read about it and seen pictures in a kung-fu book he had read once, but it had still been a while. Stiles decided to try it anyway. 

When Boyd came at him again, arms out as though to grab him, Stiles braced himself on the other boy's forearms. He used the strength and momentum of his body to twist himself up and around, getting his thighs secured around Boyd's head. Stiles twisted his body and threw his weight down at the same time, causing Boyd to fall with him, securely pinned by Stiles' legs. 

"Holy shit," Erica said bluntly, watching them with raised eyebrows. Stiles let Boyd up a moment later, breathing a bit heavily. 

"To be honest, I'm surprised I could still do it," Stiles said, his own eyes a little wide. 

"Just remember I would've crushed you in a real fight," Boyd said with a good-natured smile. 

"Yeah, yeah Mr. Werewolf," Stiles answered with a grin, waving him off.

Derek ignored the blood still dropping down his wrist and off of his fingers as he watched Stiles with huge eyes. It really shouldn't turn him on as much as it did that Stiles took Boyd down so easily. He took deep breaths and got himself under control before the other wolves picked anything up from him. As it was Kira shot him a smirk but a flash of his eyes shut her up before she could say anything. 

Derek moved to Stiles' side and helped him up with a huge grin, unable to stop himself from reeling him into a firm kiss. "You're amazing," he mumbled softly when he broke away, brushing their noses together. 

Stiles smiled when Derek came over to him, returning the kiss with a small note of surprise. He hadn't really expected that kind of reaction. He blushed slightly at Derek's words, a small smile on his lips as he bumped Derek's nose in return. "Yeah, you're one to talk," he said softly, remembering that it didn't really matter with all the werewolves around. He was still honestly kind of amazed that he had been able to do it, and it had only worked because Boyd happened to charge at him just right. Well, and because Boyd was bigger. Had he been smaller than Stiles or around the same build like Isaac, then it would've ended with the both of them getting hurt. 

"Alright, alright," Kenna said with a grin, "What's the food situation here? Who's hungry and what do they want to eat, because I could use some food and I kind of want it to be take out."

"I'm cool with that," Stiles said, leaning into Derek's arms, wanting to be closer to him.

Derek beamed at Stiles and stayed close to him, just enjoyed the proximity and the slight racing of Stiles' heart from the strenuous physical activity. Derek glanced over at Kenna when she spoke up and he shrugged, smiling more easily than he had in a long time. 

"You know I'm not picky and the others will eat anything edible you put in front of them," Derek pointed out with a smirk. 

"Can we have Chinese?" Isaac asked, going with Erica to put away their daggers and packing up the rest of the weapons to be put back away in the safes. 

"I'm good with Chinese," Stiles said, "Just make sure to get me some form of chicken and loads of rice. I think I'm gonna go shower first." He was covered in a light sheen of sweat and he just felt sort of sticky. Besides, if he took care of it now, he wouldn't have to do it later. Part of him didn't want to leave Derek, but that was ridiculous. They couldn't be together every second and even if they could, that sounded extremely unhealthy. 

"Bow chicka wow wow," Erica called, giving Stiles a wink when he turned his head to glare at her. 

"Is everything sexual with you?" he said with a slight sigh, cheeks pink.

"Not everything, but you make it too easy," Erica teased. Stiles just huffed. 

Derek couldn't help but roll his eyes at Erica, licking his lips as he contemplated asking Stiles if he maybe wanted some company. But he didn't want to be overbearing or clingy. He could function perfectly well without Stiles at his elbow even if he wanted to stay close to him now they knew what was going on with them. He glanced at Stiles and squeezed his fingers gently. "I'll be here when you're finished," he promised with a nod and small smile, eyes soft. 

Kira, of course, decided to break that moment by jumping onto Derek's back and practically tackling him over but he managed to catch his balance, hands going to support her underneath her thighs. 

"Enough of this sappy stuff, let's get inside," she ordered, pointing towards the house and kicking Derek's thigh playfully. "Onward, my noble steed." 

Derek snorted and instead of stepping forward, he bent at the waist and sent Kira sprawling onto her back in the dirt. "You did this to me so if anyone is getting carried in it's me," he told her with a smirk, showing her his arm, which was still rather bloody though it had started to dry onto his skin in a garish maroon color. 

Stiles grinned at Kira's antics, jumping on Derek's back mere seconds after he finished speaking. "But you'll carry me in right?" he said, batting his eyelashes playfully, "I'm special." He was only teasing, even though it was technically true. He wasn't the type to use something like this to his advantage. Still, he wouldn't mind being carried into the house. He was an incredibly lazy teenager after all. 

Stiles kind of disconnected from the teasing and joking of the voices around him as he rest his cheek against Derek's shoulder. It was firm and warm and strong and Stiles held Derek just a little tighter. Everything about him made Stiles want to be closer. He shut his eyes, just breathing in. Some might say he was snuggling into Derek's shoulder, but Stiles would deny that at every opportunity. Derek may have been speaking to someone, Stiles didn't know. He didn't really care. He just pressed his face into Derek and sighed. Three little words came out, barely able to be heard by Stiles' own ears, but he knew Derek would hear them.

"I love you."

He didn't know why he suddenly felt the need to say it right then and there, but Stiles didn't care. He just wanted Derek to know at that moment, before anything could happen with his father or something worse, that Stiles loved him.

Derek caught Stiles on his back and only stumbled slightly this time, hooking his hands under his mate's thighs, glancing back at him over his shoulder. He rolled his eyes and smirked but allowed it. "I guess so," he conceded and ignored Kira's pouting, arms crossed over her chest as they all started filing towards the house, Kenna disappearing presumably to call in their food orders. 

Derek was talking with Boyd on the way in, easy and comfortable. He liked the way he could feel Stiles' heartbeat through his own back, Stiles' breathing warm on his shoulder as he nuzzled in close to Derek. It was ridiculously nice. And when Stiles breathed out those three short words, Derek's breath hitched in his throat and his heart sped up. Boyd raised his brows and then sped up to go catch up with Erica, leaving Stiles and Derek with as much privacy as he could give. Derek slowed his steps and tightened his hands against Stiles' legs, taking a deep breath. 

"I- yea? You mean that?" Derek asked quietly, looking over his shoulder as best he could with wide hopeful eyes. 

"Yeah," Stiles said with complete and utter surety, "Yeah I do. I love you." He hadn't expected to mean it so wholeheartedly, nor had he expected to say it the way he did, but it had just felt right. Sure, the moment wasn't perfect. There was no string quartet or romantic lighting. Not even a rose petal in sight, and yet Stiles couldn't dream of a more perfect time to tell Derek that he loved him. They were together, close and happy, and Stiles could feel that it was the truth in his heart. 

The craziest bit was that Stiles didn't even need Derek to say it back. In fact, Stiles wasn't really expecting him to. All that he needed was for Derek to know that Stiles loved him, and anything beyond that would just be an extra surprise. After all, it seemed like Derek was a bit shocked. The way he had stopped, the look on his face. He definitely hadn't been expecting Stiles to say it. 

Stiles found himself wondering if it was like this for all soul bonds, this absolutely indescribable feeling of contentment. He could scarcely imagine living without Derek now. Being separated for a long period of time sounded terrible, like the absolute worst thing that could happen. Stiles supposed it was a double-edged sword that way. You either have indescribable happiness or insurmountable pain. He found that the happiness was definitely worth it.

Derek let himself process that for a moment and then he slowly lowered himself, letting Stiles stand back on the ground. Derek wanted to look at him when he said it back. He cupped Stiles' jaw in one hand and ran his thumb tenderly over his cheekbone, licking his lips and just staring at him for a moment. "Stiles, I-" he started and his voice caught, making him blush slightly as he looked at the younger man. He couldn't believe he was getting choked up. "I love you too," he breathed out, leaning forward to rest their foreheads together, free hand going to Stiles' hip just to hold onto him. 

Weeks ago, he wouldn't have thought he'd ever be this lucky. If you had told him before that he would meet his soul mate and fall in love at a breakneck speed and decide that he couldn't live without this one person, well he'd have tried to check you into a mental facility. But standing here with Stiles it was all he could think about. He never wanted to have to live a day without Stiles in his life. 

That's also why it scared him to find Stiles' father. He was scared that the man would hate him, would take Stiles away and go back on the run. Derek knew Stiles cared about him deeply, loved him even apparently, but he wasn't under any illusions that Stiles would choose him over his father. He would feel awful if it ever came to that and he hoped like hell that he wouldn't. He was terrified of losing Stiles. 

"Can- can I join you? In the shower?" he asked, licking his lips. "We don't have to do anything. I just don't want to let go of you now." 

Stiles surged forward, following instinct and pressing a firm kiss to Derek's lips. It felt right, almost like sealing a promise between them. They loved each other. Sure, Stiles didn't have special hearing, but he didn't need it to know that Derek was telling the truth. The way he was looking at Stiles was proof enough of that. No one had ever looked at Stiles like that before and probably never would again. If they did, Stiles had a strange feeling that Derek would claw their eyeballs out of their head before they even had a chance to see him coming. 

Stiles laughed a little, blushing hotly as he looked at Derek. They would have hell to pay from Erica if they showered together, but Stiles found that he really didn't care. He would go through seven hells and back if it meant that he could stay with Derek. "I don't want to let you go either," Stiles admitted, his arms looped around Derek's neck, "Let's go shower." Erica could suck it. He leaned up to give Derek another quick kiss before jumping up and wrapping his legs around Derek's waist. 

"Onwards, noble steed," he teased, brushing Derek's nose with his own as he smiled. He really did love Derek and even if the older man's intentions were pure, Stiles doubted they were getting out of that shower until both of them came, something he had very little problems with.

Derek kissed Stiles back happily when he felt soft lips on his, sliding his hand around to the back of Stiles' neck to keep him close. He knew that the others were watching from inside; there was practically zero privacy when it came to packs but Derek couldn't make himself care because Stiles was in his arms and Stiles loved him and everything was finally seeming to go good in his life. He'd have to tell Deaton to make sure that the first thing Stiles learned as an emissary was how to defend himself against unwanted werewolves. 

Derek smiled when Stiles admitted to not wanting to be apart either and then caught him this time without stumbling when Stiles jumped into his arms. He moved his hands down to support Stiles and if his hands happened to end up on the younger man's ass, well that was just a bonus really. 

"You're ridiculous," Derek told him but he did carry Stiles happily enough up the porch and into the house. He ignored the others as they headed for the stairs, not even pausing when he called out, "Going to shower. Don't wreck my house while I'm gone."

"Have fun having sex!" Erica shouted after them, collapsing on top of Boyd with a laugh while Boyd rolled his eyes fondly. 

"Don't worry," Derek murmured to Stiles as he headed up the second set of stairs to his own bedroom. "My room is sound proof so they won't be able to hear anything."

Stiles was still blushing as Derek more or less ran through the house. There were very little illusions about what was going on, something made glaringly clear by Erica. Stiles wanted to say something about her being jealous, but he just buried his face against Derek's shoulder instead. Having sex was awesome. Having everybody know about it kind of sucked. It was weird at the very least. That was probably the only thing Stiles missed about being surrounded by humans. It was a little bit easier to keep secrets. There wasn't all this super hearing and super smelling and super nosiness. Well, maybe there was nosiness, but it was harder to act on. 

"Good thing it's sound proof. We all know how good I am at staying quiet," Stiles teased. He kissed Derek's cheek sloppily before jumping down from the man's arms. He would be the last to admit it, but he missed Derek's hands on him already. To remedy that, Stiles stripped down at lightning speed, until he was only in his boxer-briefs. 

"Catch me if you can," he said with a wink before taking off, sprinting across the large room towards the bathroom. He knew that Derek would have almost no hope of resisting his instincts to chase after Stiles. He really did plan on showering a little bit before they got down and dirty though. Well, maybe rinsing off would be a more accurate term. Stiles wondered if they would even have the patience for soap. He certainly wouldn't. Teenage boys really didn't have the patience for anything.

Derek couldn't help watching with greedy eyes as Stiles stripped down in front of him, baring more and more of his skin until he was reduced to his boxers and Derek's fingers itched to touch. When Stiles took off running for the bathroom, Derek couldn't help but give chase, catching Stiles by the waist just before the door and swinging him into his arms. He pushed Stiles back into the bathroom - careful not to hurt him - and kicked the door closed before pushing Stiles against it, pressing their mouths together in a heated kiss. He ran his hands over Stiles' skin avariciously, clutching at him tightly and pushing up against his body as tightly as he could manage without crushing him. 

He trailed heated, open-mouthed kisses down Stiles' neck to his collarbone, breathing heavily. "I- I meant what I said," he rasped out. "We don't have to do anything you don't want to do. We can just- just get clean if you want." But even as he talked, Derek's hands were sliding down Stiles' back and underneath the elastic of his boxers, grasping at the firmness of his ass and pulling him forward so Derek could rock his hips into him. "Just tell me to stop and I will." 

Stiles returned the kiss eagerly pressing up against Derek where Derek was pressing down against him. The instant heat between them was incredible and Stiles had never felt anything like he felt when he was with Derek. The strength, the heat, the passion that Derek gave off drove Stiles insane. His willingness to put his own desires aside for Stiles' needs was a nice bonus and he doubted that there were a lot of guys that would really say that and mean it.

Stiles' hands were grasping desperately at Derek's shoulders, nails digging into the fabric of the shirt that Derek was still wearing for some reason. He let out a high-pitched gasp when he felt Derek's hands against his bare ass, practically lurching forward just as Derek rocked down against him. Stiles moaned pathetically at the contact, craving more. He rolled his own hips up against Derek again and again, his moans growing louder as he did, sliding his hands up to tangle in Derek's hair as he did so.

"The last thing I am going to tell you to do is stop," Stiles gasped, eyes shut tight as he moved against Derek. Honestly, he could be fine with just Derek just staying still and Stiles using his body to get off. Derek didn't even have to do anything if he didn't want to, proven as Stiles moved against the older man with abandon.

Derek was ridiculously glad that Stiles pretty much told Derek not to stop so he definitely would not be stopping anytime soon. He reached behind Stiles to lock the door and then pulled away just long enough to pull the sweaty tank top off his body, flinging it aside before diving back in against Stiles, savoring the way Stiles' skin felt against his own and the way their hearts were beating rapidly, not quite in unison but the rhythm they gave off was like music to Derek's ears. He kissed Stiles again and without breaking their lips apart, reached between them to undo his own jeans, kicking out of his shoes until he was just as naked as Stiles was. 

He pulled away and grabbed at the elastic on Stiles' boxers, tugging him towards the shower with a smile. He pushed them down Stiles' legs and then his own until they were both naked as the day they were born, erections on full display. Derek turned on the water until it was the perfect temperature and then pulled Stiles under the hot spray with him, closing the door. He pulled Stiles close again and kissed him, rocking his hips forward slowly and making soft whining noises in the back of his throat. He wanted to go slow though, drag it out a little. 

He knew they needed to get clean because they were both sweaty and Derek needed to wash the blood and dirt off of his arm and hands but he was too eager to touch Stiles' body. They could wash up after they'd both come at least once. He scraped blunt human nails down Stiles' back until he got his hands back on his ass, gripping tightly as he ground their hips together, cocks scraping deliciously and relieving a bit of the tension. 

"Fuck, Stiles," Derek groaned, nipping at Stiles' ear lobe. "What do you want? Anything. Anything you want. I- I'm yours okay?" 

Stiles pretty much let Derek take the lead. Not only was it hot, seeing how eager he was, but also it was a bit of a confidence booster. He barely noticed the heat of the water as he pounded down against him, only noticing the heat that Derek was giving off, the sounds Derek was making, the way Derek's hands felt, the desperation of Derek's words. Stiles was positively clinging to Derek, loud, high moans dropping from his slack jaw nearly every time they moved together. He didn't bother being quiet. He used to have to be quiet all the time in the encampment. There was no way do have some alone time if everyone could hear you. Now though, safe behind soundproof walls and the pounding of the water against the shower floor, Stiles just let go. Unfortunately, that included his mouth.

"You're gonna have to fuck me," Stiles heard himself say, "Maybe not like right here because shower sex seems a little dangerous with the slipperiness and stuff and not to mention the lack of lube and I'm not really down with using soap but good god do I want you to fuck me. Just, fuck, I don't care what you do just don't stop once you start. Even just moving against you, I could do it for the rest of my life I swear Derek. Your cock is fucking magic. Oh my fucking god, you know maybe I should stop talking. Why don't you start talking? Yeah, I like that. I like your voice, it's hot. Just, just tell me what to do." 

Stiles was gone, instinctual and incoherent. He wasn't even completely sure if he had formed real sentences when he had been babbling but he didn't care. He was sure that the important bits had made sense. He had been rolling his hips against Derek's the entire time that he had been talking, which he decided was a major feat considering he made it through his entire weird stream of consciousness.

Derek's eyes flashed red without his permission when Stiles said he wanted Derek to fuck him, a low snarl ripping its way out of his chest but it wasn't in anger or aggression, rather with a sense of pride and approval. He kissed Stiles fiercely, claiming his mouth and letting himself go completely, no holding back. He held onto Stiles tightly as he licked into his mouth, nipping at his plush lower lip and teasing him. He ran one hand over Stiles' ass and then between the crease, teasing fingers against his entrance. Stiles was right about the no lube thing but shower sex would definitely be fun and something to try another time. Derek wouldn't let them fall and hurt themselves. 

"We'll try shower sex another time," Derek grumbled low in his throat, biting gently at Stiles' pulse point and leaving a nice sized mark that claimed Stiles as his own. "Right now I want to try something else though." 

He gently took Stiles by the shoulders and turned him around, pressing his mouth heatedly to the back of his neck. Slowly he kissed his way down Stiles' spine until he stopped at the crease of his ass, kneeling behind him. He pressed a hand low on Stiles' back and rumbled deep in his chest. "Bend over a little bit," he instructed until Stiles' ass was presented to him beautifully and he could use his hands to part Stiles' cheeks. Without waiting, Derek leaned forward and licked a hot stripe over his hole, eyes closing as he breathed in the pure and heady scent that was all Stiles, mouthing over his entrance greedily.

Stiles had no idea that the werewolf half of things would be as much of a turn on as it was, but when he saw Derek's eyes and he heard that animalistic noise being torn from his throat, well Stiles nearly came right there. He kissed Derek eagerly, keeping up as well as he could, presenting his neck when Derek moved to attack it. God, this was fucking amazing. 

He turned around when Derek told him to, though he was a little embarrassed when he felt Derek going lower and lower. He gasped a bit when he felt Derek's large hands pushing his cheeks apart, face pink, embarrassed for half a second before he felt the first swipe of Derek's tongue. 

"Oh dear god," Stiles moaned, bracing his hands against the shower walls, head dropping between his shoulders, "Fuck, Derek. Oh my fucking Christ." Stiles had never felt anything like this before, having someone so close to a part of him that most people never really wanted to be close to. The heat of Derek's tongue against his hole made him whine. He might've pressed back against it if not for Derek's hands holding him in place. Stiles lost control of his mouth, a litany of moans and whimpers falling from his lips along with incoherent words and sentences. "I'm going to give you the fucking blowjob of your life after this," Stiles tried to say, half of his words being drowned out by the moans that followed, "I will suck your goddamn brain out through your dick, I swear. Derek!"

Derek loved hearing Stiles' pleasured incoherent babbling. It was practically the best part of sex...well besides the actual sex part. Derek really really enjoyed the actual sex part because he loved being allowed to be that close to Stiles. 

He mouthed against Stiles' hole until he was more relaxed and then pressed a thumb there, gently pushing in just to the first knuckle until he could put his tongue there beside it, licking inside, helping him relax. He reached around Stiles' hip to wrap the fingers of his free hand around Stiles' dick, tugging at it slowly as he pleasured him.

Any embarrassment Stiles may have had about what was happening completely fell away as he was overcome with pleasure. It was incredibly intimate and Stiles was struck with the thought that this was the person he loved doing this to him that loved him in return. It took approximately five seconds after that realization before Stiles was coming with a shout of Derek's name. Come spattered against the wall only to be washed away seconds later by the stream of water still coming from the shower. Stiles panted, leaning against the wall for a moment to come down from his high before he was trying to get Derek to stand up again. He slammed their lips together for a brief moment before Stiles spun them and pressed Derek against the wall, already sliding to his knees.

Derek let out a pleasured growl when Stiles came, shouting out Derek's own name. It was fucking fantastic is what it was, hearing Stiles come and smelling it, knowing that he was the reason for Stiles' pleasure. He got to his feet obediently when Stiles tugged at him and obedient was something he hadn't been called in a very long time. He kissed Stiles back eagerly and with abandon, tossing all of his worries out the window and focusing solely on the man in his arms, the man he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. When Stiles switched their positions and got to his knees, Derek could barely hold back a possessive growl as he brushed Stiles' hair from his forehead so that he could see his face, watch him as he sucked Derek off like he'd promised. Stiles was nothing if not a man of his word. 

Stiles just went straight for it, licking up the underside of Derek's cock with the flat of his tongue. He wasn't entirely sure of what he was doing, but he knew the basics. Keep your teeth out of it and using your tongue was never a bad thing. He supposed that everything else changed case-by-case depending on what a person liked, so Stiles resolved to try everything he could think of to see what would make Derek moan. He started off easy, just getting as much as he could fit and using his hand on whatever was left over. Stiles bobbed his head, hollowing out his cheeks when possible, paying special attention to the sensitive head, watching for all of Derek's reactions. He hoped that for what he lacked in finesse he made up for in enthusiasm. 

Now Derek had had blowjobs in his life. It wasn't hard to walk into a bar and pick someone up for the night, especially not with the way he looked, and he'd done it enough times in his past to know the way around the block. He hadn't done that in a couple of years though because of how empty it always left him feeling when he snuck out of whoever's bed and got dressed and left without giving his phone number. But even if Stiles wasn't versed in giving blowjobs, he was doing a damn good job of it. Derek's knees felt like Jell-O and he trembled slightly, unable to hold back the noises clawing their way out of his throat. He moaned and groaned, whimpered when he felt Stiles' tongue against the sensitive underside of the head. It felt fucking fantastic and Derek knew he wouldn't last long. But he'd hold back at least a little while longer so he could relish the way Stiles was making him feel in that moment. 

Stiles had never really completely understood the pleasure he could get from pleasuring someone else until that moment right then, with Derek falling apart above him. He worked him, pulling every trick that he could think of, repeating the ones that seemed to get good responses. It was strange, the heavy weight on his tongue, the heat, the taste, but Stiles found that he liked the way it made Derek feel. This was for him, and that alone made Stiles happy. With that thought, he renewed any enthusiasm that may have flagged, going down on Derek with abandon. Despite the water from the shower, Stiles glanced up at Derek through his lashes, water making them clump together as he watched Derek moan above him. It was heady, knowing that he was the one doing that to Derek. 

Derek gasped and fell apart under Stiles' attention, barely holding onto what little control he had left. He took his hand away from Stiles' head as his nails lengthened into claws and his eyes went red but he kept the shift at bay as best he could, digging his claws into his palms until they returned to normal. He was panting and he knew he was close, knew that he wouldn't last much longer. Making sure that his nails were back to human he tugged gently on Stiles' hair, jaw open and soft little whines of pleasure escaping. "Fuck, fuck Stiles ,I'm close, I'm- you- if you don't want me to come in your mouth you should- should pull off," he warned, not wanting to catch Stiles by surprise. If Stiles didn't want Derek to come in his mouth then Derek wouldn't make him. It didn't make a difference to him. The idea of Stiles swallowing was ridiculously hot but he knew Stiles might not be ready for that. On the flip side, seeing his come on Stiles' chin and chest would be just as arousing so it was really a win-win situation either way for Derek. 

Hearing Derek speak like that was... incredible. He just sounded so broken by pleasure and Stiles felt a moan of his own building in his throat. He wasn't sure what to do about Derek's warning. Did he want to pull off or did he want to try swallowing? He wasn't really sure which would be better, though pulling off would definitely be easier. Then again, when had Stiles ever taken the easy road. He resolved to continue on until Derek came and if he couldn't swallow after all, then he could just pull off then. Easy peasy. Stiles lapped at the head, hollowing out his cheeks and humming as his hand worked on the rest of Derek's cock. He had seen the way Derek was having trouble controlling the shift and he wanted to see what happened when he came. 

When Stiles just kept going Derek groaned again because fuck. Stiles was going to try to swallow and that was... that was fucking awesome. He didn't bother holding back any of the noises he was making, too focused on staying human as Stiles worked him over good with his mouth. His orgasm hit him by surprise and Derek snarled out loudly, claws sprouting once more, and he dug them into the tile wall behind him. Derek could hear the porcelain tile cracking as he came with cry, Stiles' name falling from his lips, spilling onto Stiles' tongue. He was panting, gasping for air for his poor deprived lungs as his legs finally gave out beneath him. His cock slipped from Stiles' mouth and he slid to the floor of the shower, breathing heavily as he reached out to drag Stiles closer to him, practically force-cuddling him right there on the shower floor. 

Derek's orgasm hit Stiles by surprise and he sputtered a little bit, but he thought that he managed a good amount before moving to pull away, seconds before Derek slid to the floor. Stiles had to laugh at the way that Derek practically wrapped himself around him, snuggling the life out of him. Stiles' arms were kind of squished and he couldn't really move, but he rest his head against Derek's chest, happy to be cuddled. It showed that Derek really did care about him and not just about the sex, which Stiles already knew of course, but it was nice to have a little reassurance. Though, doing it on the shower floor was a little weird, Stiles could work with it. They were all a little weird. "So... good?" Stiles asked, voice a little hoarse. It was sort of pointless to ask, considering that Derek had come. That meant it had to be at least somewhat good, but pointers couldn't hurt for the future. 

Derek smiled into Stiles' hair and then nodded. "Perfect. You're perfect," he breathed out and loosened his arms, manhandling Stiles gently into his lap and then pressing his face into Stiles' neck. Derek was a touchy feely person when it came to people he trusted and loved, should they allow him to be close to them. He was beyond glad Stiles allowed him this proximity and intimacy. He inhaled at Stiles' skin deeply, ingraining Stiles' scent to his memory. His nails had gone back to human and he licked at the water clinging to Stiles' skin, holding him tightly. "I love you, Stiles," he whispered softly, pulling away to look at the younger man with big earnest eyes, expression slightly vulnerable. 

Stiles let Derek do his thing, adjusting himself so that the werewolf had an easier time of nuzzling and scenting him. Honestly, he enjoyed the closeness of it as well. It made him feel wanted, which he knew he was when Derek pulled back to look at him with those eyes, whispering those words. It was still kind of like a punch to the gut to hear them, but a good punch. The kind that reminded you what it felt like to be alive, short of breath and exhilarated. Stiles pressed their foreheads together, running his fingers through Derek's damp hair. "I love you too, Derek," he murmured, the words flowing easily from his lips now that he had already said them. They stayed like that until the water went lukewarm and Stiles was prune-y and slightly shivering. "Come on," he said softly, "I don't like cold Chinese unless it's been in the fridge for a day."

Derek smiled and pressed a sweet kiss to Stiles' lips, brushing their noses together. "You make no sense to me," he informed him but gently helped Stiles up. He fiddled with the water until it got warmer again and made quick work of washing himself and Stiles down, scrubbing shampoo into Stiles' hair and then helping him rinse it out. When they were all clean, Derek shut off the water and reached out for their towels, wrapping one around Stiles' shoulders and rubbing his arms to get him warm. It took a lot to make Derek cold seeing as how he usually ran at a toasty hundred and nine point five on a normal day. He was always warm so he was more than happy to share that warmth with Stiles. "I'm going to have to retile that," Derek said with a soft sigh, looking back in at the several cracked tiles in the shower.

"No," Stiles said with a fond smile, looking over at the same spot, "I'm actually kind of proud of that. I unleashed the animal." He laughed, kissing Derek's cheek before leaving the bathroom. He rooted around his clothes for a clean pair of underwear and sweatpants. Without even thinking, he went over to Derek's dresser and stole one of his shirts. It just kind of seemed like the thing to do. He walked back over to where he had dropped his towel and picked it up, running it over his hair a few times to try and dry it. It was weird, having longer hair. He had had it for a while now, but every now and then he sort of missed his buzz cut. It was certainly easier if nothing else. Stiles went over to a mirror to make sure that his hair didn't look too ridiculous when he caught sight of one hell of a hickey that Derek had left behind. "Well, someone wants to make things obvious," he joked, running his fingers over the mark lightly. 

Derek practically preened when Stiles put on one of his shirts without thinking about it. He loved when Stiles wore his clothes, when he smelled like him. He got his own boxers on and pulled on a pair of loose sweat pants, glancing over when Stiles spoke. Derek smirked when he saw the mark Stiles was talking about and approached behind him, arms snaking around his waist and chin resting on his shoulder. "I like knowing that people will know that you're taken," he hummed quietly, pressing a kiss below Stiles' ear and then biting on his own lower lip. "Stay here. I mean, up here. In my room. Stay with me? I'll clean out some drawers for you. Or we could get you your own dresser but just. Stay?" 

"You say that like I planned on leaving," Stiles said with a grin, leaning back into Derek's hold, placing his hands over the older man's. Honestly, he had been dreading the thought of Kenna finishing up his room, though he now felt a tad guilty for having her do all that work for nothing. Maybe they could turn the room into something else so that it would get some use? Stiles didn't know. All he knew was that he was going to share a space with Derek and nothing could make him happier. 

"Alright, I don't care how in love you two are or how close you need to be, you can cuddle downstairs because I have had to protect your food bodily for the past fifteen minutes," Kenna's voice came echoing through the door as she knocked on it. Stiles laughed. 

"We're coming, just give us a minute," he called back. He stood there for another moment, just kind of looking at him and Derek together. "Let's get a move on," he finally said, tugging Derek towards the door.

Derek held onto Stiles and smiled when he agreed to stay, pressing his face into Stiles' neck like he was prone to doing. It wasn't his fault. He liked being able to hear Stiles' heartbeat clearly and smell him close by. He nuzzled in against the younger man and just held on until Kenna came knocking at the door and demanding their presence downstairs. 

"She can't hear you," Derek pointed out to Stiles with a chuckle and kissed his cheek before pulling away almost reluctantly. "Sound proof remember?" He held onto Stiles' hand and then led him to the door, happy to have him close and smelling like him. 

Stiles shushed Derek playfully when he pointed out his mistake, smiling the entire time. It seemed that he couldn't stop. He had no reason to stop. Stiles had everything to smile about right now. He was still smiling when they walked into the kitchen together, still hand in hand. Erica wrinkled her nose immediately. 

"You guys smell like sex," she complained, "How am I supposed to eat now?"

"You're the one that told us to have fun," Stiles pointed out, "Never could have done it without you." Erica made a face at him and threw a fortune cookie at him. Stiles caught it with a grin.

"Really though, did you guys even make an effort not to?" Isaac asked, his nose wrinkling a bit as well. 

"Not really," Stiles said with a wide grin, "Though Derek, ever the gentleman, did make the option known."

"What can I say? Consent is a thing," Derek responded with a shrug and a smirk, pulling Stiles in close to press a firm kiss to his cheek. 

Erica wrinkled her nose at Derek and then relaxed, shaking her head. "I could keep complaining about this but you're actually looking happy for the first time in probably ever so I'll let it go," she said, peering into Boyd's takeout container and stealing a bite of his chicken. 

"It's kind of weird though," Isaac commented with a little furrow of his brow, looking at Derek speculatively. "I'm kind of waiting for him to snap and go back to growling at us instead of communicating with words."

Derek blushed and scowled at them all, leaning slightly into Stiles' side as Kenna came back out of the kitchen with the remaining food. "I don't know why I ever had you lot turned," he grumbled. 

Stiles turned and pressed one last kiss to Derek's cheek before wiggling away. Kenna nodded towards his containers and he claimed them gleefully, popping them open and grabbing a pair of chopsticks. He sat down cross-legged on one of the chairs and dug in, groaning slightly. He really did love takeout food. 

"You clearly turned Erica because she's a bad ass, Boyd because he's level-headed, and Isaac because of that baby angel face," Stiles said with his mouth full of food. Kenna shot him a look that said she thought his table manners were despicable. Stiles just smiled at her. 

"Yeah, so why's he gonna turn you?" Erica said, eyebrows raised, a smile on her lips. Stiles froze for a moment. 

"As far as I know, I'm remaining human," he said after a moment, "But should I ever be turned, it's clearly because I am the bad ass of all bad asses. Plus I have brains." Stiles had tried to make a joke out of it, but the thought unsettled him a bit. Did the rest of the pack expect him to choose the bite eventually? Not that Stiles thought being a werewolf was bad, but he was pretty sure that he didn't want to be one. 

Derek gave Erica a look and shook his head as he finished chewing the giant bite of Mongolian beef he'd put in his mouth. "Stiles isn't being turned. He's going to be trained by Deaton to be our emissary," he told her, sitting in the seat beside Stiles and bumping their knees together under the table gently. "Of course, should he ever decide on his own that he wants the bite, I would consider it." 

Boyd nodded thoughtfully as he ate a fried wonton, looking between Stiles and Derek. "I dunno. I like Stiles as a human. I think it'd be weird if he was a werewolf," he said and then fixed his gaze on Stiles. "No offense or anything. You'd probably make a good werewolf. But I'm used to you being human." 

"Plus it's kind of like a cool contrast between you and Derek," Kenna added, grinning as she popped a piece of broccoli into her mouth, not bothering to swallow before she continued with her mouth full. "Like you're the human emissary and Derek's the big bad alpha but you ground each other and stuff. You know how to tame the beast and Derek knows how to make you stronger." 

The contact with Derek made Stiles immediately felt better and he smiled to himself as he pressed back against Derek. He chuckled at Kenna's words, digging through his carton of food for the good bits. 

"I tame the beast," Stiles repeated slowly, "I think I definitely need that on a t-shirt. What do you think Derek? I think it'd be hot." He gave Derek a joking wink.

"Ewwww," Erica and Kira said together before laughing against one another. 

"Is that a challenge I hear?" Stiles asked, eyebrows raised. He put down his carton of food and removed the carton from Derek's hands as well. He gave Erica and Kira a pointed look before cupping Derek's face gently and leaning forward. Stiles pressed their lips together before biting lightly on Derek's bottom lip until he parted his lips so that Stiles could slip his tongue inside. He continued to kiss Derek until a fortune cookie hit him in the face. 

"You guys are gross," Erica said, her face scrunched up in mock disgust.

Part of Derek wanted to protest that they really shouldn't be flaunting their relationship all over the place and making out or feeling each other up in front of the others. But that was a very small part. The bigger part of Derek wanted nothing more than to get his hands on Stiles. 

He let Stiles take the food from his hands - which shouldn't be taken lightly, Derek loves his food - and leaned into him instinctively, kissing back happily. His heart raced for a second before evening out and he relaxed into Stiles' hands, opening his mouth when Stiles coaxed him to. 

He was a bit dazed when the kiss broke and he grinned at Stiles widely, reaching up to brush his fingers through Stiles' hair. "Anytime you wanna make a point, I'm there for you," he promised with a wink. 

Stiles smiled and pressed one last chaste kiss to Derek's lips before sitting down again and resuming his eating. It was weird, knowing that he could kiss Derek whenever he wanted, touch him, love him, just have him around. Derek was his and he was Derek's and it was one of the weirdest feelings Stiles had ever had. Sure, he'd always had his dad but it was different. They were family. He and Derek had more or less chose each other and yet Stiles had never felt a stronger bond with anyone. 

"So what's our schedule for tomorrow?" Stiles asked, wanting to know what was going on, "Possibly for the next week? Also, what chores am I supposed to be doing? Also also, I vote for a movie marathon until we all pass out after dinner. Also also also, someone needs to pass me some more white rice please."

Derek counted on his fingers to see what the next day's date was and what day it would he before frowning. "I have to go into work tomorrow," he answered, looking back at Stiles. "You could come with me or you could hang around here or go to my parents' and see Scott? Whatever you want." 

"Derek's office is pretty cool," Erica hummed thoughtfully with a smile. "The view is gorgeous. If you don't go tomorrow you should definitely visit sometime." 

"He does have a really nice view from his office," Isaac agreed with a nod, passing Stiles the carton of white rice and pushing the soy sauce towards him just in case he wanted that too. 

"I'm down for movies," Kira added with a wide smile, beaming at Stiles. "Can we watch Marvel movies? I just got a copy of the second Captain America movie." 

Stiles was only slightly ashamed to admit where his thoughts went when he heard that Derek had to go into the office. First there was a bit of disappointment, then there was consideration, and finally there was the fantasies. Teasing Derek from under his desk while he was working. Having sex with Derek while Stiles was bent over his work desk. A high flush rose on Stiles' cheeks and he practically shoved his face into his carton while he ate until his face went back to normal. 

"I mean, we can figure out if I go or not later," he said dismissively, ignoring the way that Kenna was looking at him somewhat knowingly, "And I'm good for any movies, seeing as I've seen basically none of them." Sometimes, now that he was surrounded with this sort of life, Stiles forgot for a moment that he grew up in a tent for the better part of his life. He forgot that he didn't know everything like all the flavors of soda or all the types of snacks they had or what the popular movies were. Now that he was dwelling on it, he suddenly felt a little inadequate for no reason at all. "Kenna, can I cook dinner tomorrow?" he asked, wanting to prove himself. 

"Sure," Kenna said with a shrug, "Do you need anything specific?"

"Just a whole trout," Stiles said, figuring he could find anything else he needed in the kitchen. 

Derek could smell Stiles' arousal and he smirked to himself smugly, knowing that it was him who made Stiles smell like that. He could only imagine the things Stiles was thinking about and he made a mental note to ask Stiles about it later. Just to confirm his suspicions. All he could think about himself was getting Stiles naked in his chair and riding him hard. 

Derek had to clear his throat and take a long drink of water to clear his head, ears flushing pink as Erica, Isaac and Boyd all gave him flat, unimpressed looks. Kira looked blissfully ignorant because her nose wasn't as good as the others so Derek's emotions were pretty much his own when it came to her. He couldn't remember why he'd decided to teach the others how to tell different emotions apart. If he could go back and reverse that he would. 

"We'll figure it out later," Derek agreed, squeezing Stiles' leg gently and giving him a reassuring smile. 

"I'm going to get you all caught up on all the pop culture okay?" Kira told Stiles with a grin. "We'll start with the Marvel superhero movies tonight."

The rest of dinner passed contentedly, with easy conversation flowing between everyone. For the most part, Stiles just sat silently as he stuffed his face but when he did speak, the others accepted him into the fold easily. It struck him, just how easy it was for him to integrate himself into the pack. He felt like it should be more difficult, but he supposed that once you got Alpha approval then the rest was easy. Unless you were a huge dick of course, which Stiles wasn't.

When everyone was done, Kira skipped off to get all the movies together while Erica and Isaac ran to pick prime spots on the couch. 

"I'll clean up," Stiles insisted, standing so he could start grabbing empty containers. He could see Derek opening his mouth to protest, but Stiles pushed him out of the room, coming back in to so the same to Kenna and Boyd. Once the kitchen was empty, Stiles set about cleaning up after dinner. He also managed to figure out how to make the popcorn without burning it. He grabbed a bowl and made a couple of bags before grabbing enough sodas for everyone and heading out to the living room. He put the food on the coffee table and saw that basically every seat was taken. He hesitated for half a second before plopping himself down on Derek's lap and getting comfortable. "Let's get this party started."

Derek wanted to protest Stiles cleaning up but Stiles just pushed them all out of the kitchen insistently which was pretty bold for a human to push a pack of werewolves out of a kitchen. But the others went easily because Stiles was undoubtedly a part of the pack now. So Derek went to sit on the couch and stole the remote from Erica and Isaac who were fighting over it, handing it to Kira instead who beamed at him. Derek smiled back at her and chose a spot on the love seat, intending to save it for Stiles, but Erica came to sit next to him with a grin and he couldn't kick her out of it. 

Then Stiles came back and Derek beamed at him, catching him around the waist when he flopped into Derek's lap and Derek kissed his nape. 

"I changed my mind," Erica declared and got up to go sit squished in close to Boyd, wrinkling her nose at the couple. 

Derek smirked at her but he kept Stiles in his lap, not wanting to let him go as he nuzzled against Stiles' neck and shoulder while the disc menu played. 

"Okay, we're gonna start you on the first Iron Man movie and then The Incredible Hulk and then Iron Man 2, then Thor, then Captain America," Kira told Stiles with a grin, pointing at the screen. "It's great because these superheroes are all mostly human. None of them are werewolves. Well some of the actors are werewolves but yea. Some people don't like it that they're not werewolves or something else but I think it makes it even better." 

Stiles smiled when Derek kissed his neck and it widened into a grin when Erica moved away. He turned to look at Derek with his triumphant smile. Even though the seat next to Derek was now open, Stiles decided that he would stay in Derek's lap. They could cuddle without being completely gross. Hopefully. Stiles spread his legs out more but he stayed nestled in Derek's arms. It made him feel safe and comfortable. 

"I trust your judgment," Stiles said to Kira, and moments later she popped the first movie in. Stiles was actually kind of excited to start his pop culture education. He didn't know just how much he had missed out on, but movies he was especially excited about. Sure, books were great and Stiles would always love to read, but movies were watching the story unfold before your eyes. It was watching someone's interpretation of a story coming to life and for Stiles that was kind of an amazing experience. 

"Try not to have sex," Erica said as Isaac got up and flipped off the lights. 

"I make no promises," Stiles said, though he would definitely refrain from doing anything besides cuddling. He was actually interested in seeing how these movies played out. He snuggled further into Derek's arms, leaning his head against the werewolf's chest and lacing their fingers together where Derek's were resting on Stiles' stomach as the first movie started.


	12. Chapter 12

Derek snorted softly at Stiles' and Erica's interaction but he didn't bother saying anything. He'd seen all of these movies before because Kira and Erica insisted on movie nights at least twice a week. So Derek had nothing to miss out on as he tuned out the movie to listen to Stiles' heartbeat instead. He nuzzled against his neck but didn't try to kiss him or distract him from the movie. He could tell how excited Stiles was to get caught up on all the things he'd missed and Derek wanted that for him too. 

He breathed in Stiles' scent deeply, loving the way that their scents were becoming more and more indistinguishable from each other's though there was still the slight difference between them. Stiles' scent held a bit more of an ozone/rain tinge to it due to his potential as an emissary and Derek's scent was a bit wilder, more woodsy and cedar-like. Still, the more time they spent touching each other and living close to each other and making love, it rubbed off a bit more on each of them, Derek starting to smell more like Stiles and vice versa. 

Somehow during the movie, he and Stiles shifted down into a horizontal position with Derek being the big spoon behind Stiles, arm around his waist and fingers laced together over Stiles' stomach. Derek pressed his nose to Stiles' neck and it didn't take long before Derek was dozing off peacefully while Tony Stark fought with another guy in a giant metal suit that was a bit bigger but definitely not as cool. 

Derek was definitely down for cuddling, something he proved seconds after the movie had started. He held Stiles tightly in his arms, nuzzling, almost snuffling against his neck. Stiles thought it was cute. Part of him wished that he could smell the same things that Derek could, but at the same time he felt like their relationship was pretty intense without all that. From what Derek had explained a few days ago, soon he and Stiles would smell so much like each other that it would be difficult to tell them apart by scent alone. Every werewolf in their vicinity would know immediately that they were together and the possessive side of Stiles absolutely loved that, so he was content to let Derek do what he wanted. 

The movies were pretty amazing. The special effects and all those sorts of things were pretty breathtaking and Stiles absolutely loved the soundtracks. He kind of wanted to listen to all of them forever. He was getting more and more excited as the movies went on, putting pieces together, and seeing how each movie connected even in the subtle ways. It was great. He wasn't even getting tired, solely focused on what was happening on the screen. 

Stiles didn't even noticed that he and Derek had changed their position until he felt Derek's grip go a bit slack in his hand. Broken from his trance, Stiles paid more attention to Derek and realized that the werewolf had fallen asleep. Stiles smiled and snuggled in close, making sure that he could still see the screen. He was going to see all these movies tonight if it killed him. Still, as the movie continued to play, Stiles got to wondering. Unable to stay his curiosity, he turned his face a little bit until his nose was pressed against Derek's neck and he took a whiff. All Stiles could smell was Derek. He couldn't say exactly what that smell was, just that he knew it was Derek. It sent a shot of comfort through Stiles and he turned back towards the movie, smiling.

Erica looked over at Stiles and Derek when Stiles shifted around and caught her attention and she smiled softly at them. As much as she teased them about their relationship and their sex life and how cheesy they were, she really was happy that Derek had found someone who loved him as much as Stiles did. It was obvious by the way they acted around each other, the way that Derek looked at Stiles like he hung the moon and the way Stiles looked at Derek like he was looking at the sun. It was sometimes a little gross when she could smell the sex on them like a perfume and the blockbuster romantic drama movie worthy stares of longing. But she could deal with that a little if she had too. 

Derek shifted when Stiles did but he didn't wake up which wasn't surprising anymore. Stiles was safe and familiar and Derek felt protected when they were together. He knew how much Stiles cared about him and it was easy to trust himself to Stiles when he was at his most vulnerable. He dreamt of a life spent together, dreamt of finding Stiles' father and bringing him back, of a revolution for humans where they didn't have to be slaves anymore and could safely roam the cities without fearing assault or attack. He wanted that for Stiles and he wanted that for Kenna, for every human being he'd ever met. They were people too. 

He tightened his arm around Stiles in his sleep, his subconscious telling him that he wanted Stiles to be closer because closer meant that he was safe with Derek. Derek didn't used to be scared of a lot of things. After almost dying, death didn't scare him and he was almost ready for it at a point. But then Stiles had come along and shown him that life, even in the miserable and fucked up world they were living in, was worth living. Suddenly Derek's worst fear was losing Stiles and he knew that he would go to any lengths to keep him safe even if it meant sacrificing himself in Stiles' place, trading his life for Stiles'. He mumbled incoherently without waking up, lips brushing at Stiles' nape and then he let out a quiet sigh as he relaxed again. 

"Love you," he whispered against Stiles' skin, the tension leaking from his muscles as his dreams about losing Stiles faded into Derek being able to save him and living out their lives happily together. 

Stiles was completely engrossed in the movies again when he felt Derek's lips moving against his skin. He paused, dragging his attention away from the movie but then he realized that Derek was just mumbling in his sleep. Stiles smiled a bit, tightening his hold on Derek's hand. He settled in to watch the rest of the movie when he heard two very clear words and he stiffened up in surprise. He couldn't tell if Derek was awake or asleep now, but Stiles got closer anyway. 

"Love you too," he murmured quietly, not caring if Derek was awake to hear him, not caring if the others heard. He knew that he loved Derek and that was all that really mattered. It seemed like Derek relaxed after that, snuggling more into Stiles' neck whether he knew it or not and Stiles smiled. He'd never expected that he would ever find anything like this. Something that was so all-consuming that Stiles was pretty sure that he could be content with the rest of his life if he saw no one but Derek until the day he died. Derek made him so happy and he felt so complete when they were together. He was the best thing that Stiles never knew he needed. 

Soon, all the movies were over and everyone was droopy and tired. Stiles had really enjoyed seeing them and he couldn't wait for the next marathon that Kira set up for him. He was ready to watch everything. 

"Do you need help?" Isaac whispered, looking at the way that Derek was snaked around Stiles. 

"It's fine, I'll wake him up and we'll go upstairs," Stiles whispered back. Everyone else filtered out of the room and Stiles waited a few more minutes to make sure that they were far enough away. He wiggled in Derek's arms until he was facing the werewolf. Derek's features were relaxed in sleep and he looked gorgeous. Stiles pressed a kiss to Derek's slack lips before he moved on, kissing his cheek and his jaw and his neck. "Wake up," he murmured, "We have to go up to bed." He continued to kiss Derek's neck, nibbling slightly on the skin.

Derek had sort of started rousing when the others left but Stiles was still there so his subconscious didn't see the need to wake him up more fully. If something was going on Stiles would wake him up and tell him so he let himself doze off completely again. Then Stiles was moving in his arms and he felt soft lips on his skin that definitely were coaxing him into consciousness and he made soft noises at the words Stiles spoke. 

Finally he opened his eyes to look at the man in front of him dazedly, obviously groggy. He registered the TV being off and the house empty. Kenna's heartbeat was slow and steady upstairs in her bedroom and he glanced at the clock to see it was nearing three in the morning. "Kay," he finally mumbled back, forcing himself up when Stiles got up. He leaned heavily against Stiles' back, arms around his waist and face smushed in the crook of his neck. "Lead th'way," he breathed out sleepily, unwilling to let go for any reason. 

"What do you mean lead the way?" Stiles said softly, laughing under his breath, "You're like a bear. You think I can drag you through this house?" He was mostly joking. He figured he could hobble through the house well enough. He felt bad that Derek had to go to work the next morning and it was already so late, so he wasn't going to make the werewolf get any more conscious than he had to be. Stiles squeezed Derek's arms lightly before he started walking them through the house towards the stairs. It was extremely awkward, having Derek draped across his back, but it was kind of cute too. Almost like Derek was a giant toddler. 

Somehow, Stiles made it up the stairs to Derek's room, but he was huffing and puffing by the end of it. He waddled over to Derek's bed and laid the werewolf down on it. The weight being gone from his shoulders was actually kind of nice. Stiles took off Derek's shoes and socks, along with his pants and his shirt, leaving him to sleep in his underwear. Stiles went over to take off his own clothes and put on a looser shirt to sleep in before brushing his teeth and going to the bathroom. By the time he got back to the bed, Derek had wiggled his way up to the pillows. Smiling, Stiles dragged the covers down and then pulled them up over the both of them. He leaned over Derek, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. 

"Good night," he murmured.

Derek just mumbled incoherently and then Stiles eventually started to lead him through the house, turning out lights as they went. He stumbled slightly going up the stairs but he found a good rhythm to shuffle up behind Stiles. He fell onto the bed and made noises of thanks in the back of his throat as Stiles undressed him, eyes closed. But when Stiles went to move away, he circled fingers around his wrist to bring him back. He forced his eyes open and placed a sweet kiss on Stiles' mouth. "I love you," he mumbled sleepily as he let Stiles go and gave a tired smile before rolling into the sheets to get comfortable. 

He made his way up the bed to bury his head in the pillows and he star-fished out on the large mattress as he listened to Stiles puttering around in the bathroom, brushing teeth and peeing and doing whatever else he did. When the bed dipped to signal Stiles climbing in, Derek shifted to make room and he pulled Stiles in close to him, returning the kiss he was given with a content little sigh. He pressed in close and pushed his nose into Stiles' neck, breathing in deeply as he snuck his hand under Stiles' shirt to touch his soft skin. 

"I love you too," he mumbled again, kissing the edge of Stiles' jaw as he snuggled in and tightened his arm around the younger man. "Love you so much." 

Derek was unbelievably cuddly when he was tired, though at the same time, Stiles supposed that it was completely believable. If you weren't someone that Derek was close to, it could be easy to make the mistake of thinking that he was this big tough werewolf that growled all his words and frowned a lot. Of course, the truth was that that couldn't be further from reality. Derek was possibly the softest, squishiest person that Stiles had ever met. It was kind of the world's best lesson on the whole not judging people based on outward appearances thing. Derek also made Stiles think twice about how he had once condemned all werewolves. Of course, it wasn't entirely his fault. It was how he had been raised and he hadn't known any better. Now he did, and he wasn't going to make the same mistake of allowing himself to be led blindly again. He just wished that the rest of the world could see it that way. 

"I love you too," Stiles murmured, "But you have to go to sleep. You have work in the morning. Like at an office. You need a good night's rest." He wiggled a bit in Derek's arms, getting himself into a comfortable position before he nudged the covers down a little bit. Derek's body ran incredibly warm and he would probably start sweating like a maniac if he stayed under the covers all night while Derek was holding him. He pushed away the thoughts that had returned when he started thinking about how Derek had to go work in his own office in an official office building while he wore a business suit. This was not the time to be thinking about that. 

Derek grumbled incoherently when Stiles mentioned going to work. He used to enjoy going to work or at least he didn't mind it. The work interested him and he did enjoy being able to spend his time sketching out dream homes for families, large buildings for companies as long as they didn't condone the harsh treatment of humans. Derek never contracted out to people who beat and abused humans. He was against it on principle. He was against hurting or abusing anyone, honestly. He had been on the other side of the abuse before and he knew that it could have turned him in one of two directions: he could've continued on the abuse cycle and become an abuser himself or he could have a strong fear of bringing anyone pain. He turned out to be the latter. 

He was just drifting off to sleep but the sharp citrusy scent of Stiles' arousal had Derek nuzzling against the back of his neck and sliding his hand under Stiles' shirt a bit further. "What're you thinkin' bout?" he asked, biting at Stiles' ear lobe and pressing closer. "Smell so good. Like me...like sex." He mouthed down Stiles' neck and smiled against his skin, sleepy but awake enough now that he could tell Stiles was interested in… something. He hoped it was something to do with him. 

Stiles had been able to feel Derek going to sleep when he suddenly was gaining more awareness. The teenager bit down hard on his lip when Derek's hand slid further along his skin, when Derek's teeth nibbled against his skin. Stiles found himself distracted for a fraction of a second as he thought about what sex smelled like and if it smelled different on each person or the same and what it was like for Derek to smell himself on someone else. He knew that Derek had to go to sleep so that he could go to work in the morning and not be miserable, but his teenage libido didn't seem to care about that. As soon as Derek started showing that he might be interested in doing a little something, he perked up even further. 

"Thinking about you," Stiles said honestly, "At the office. Working in your business suit and everything. About you bending me over your desk. About me sucking your cock while you sit in your office chair." With every word that he spoke, he could feel himself getting harder just thinking about it. It really was every teenager's most porny fantasy, to have sex in an office building. Now that Stiles sort of might have the opportunity, he couldn't stop thinking about it. He tilted his neck to the side so that Derek would have more room to explore sleepily. He wasn't actually sure if they were going to do anything. If not, then Stiles would have to slip off to the bathroom to take care of this, but he figured he could get a little more comfortable in case they did start something.

Derek groaned loudly with every word that Stiles spoke. He was definitely more awake now. He rolled his hips forward so his erection pressed up against Stiles' ass, showing him how interested he was in the proceedings. Now he was going to go to work tomorrow and that would be all that he could think about. He teased Stiles' nipples as he nipped at his neck and then slid his hand back down, trailing in the soft dark hair below Stiles' naval. "I want that too," he said in a rough voice, nudging aside the collar of Stiles' t-shirt to mouth at his shoulder and bite at his collarbone. "I want to ride you on the couch in my office." He slipped his fingers under the elastic waist of Stiles' boxer shorts, reaching down until he could cup Stiles' balls in his palm, rubbing at him. "I want to ride you right now," he admitted, kissing the nape of Stiles' neck as he rolled his hips forward again, groaning softly. "Would you let me?" 

Stiles' eyes had fluttered closed when he felt Derek's hard cock pressing against him. Oh something was definitely happening tonight, work in the morning be damned. He gasped slightly when he felt Derek's hands moving over him, listening to the older man speak to him. Seconds later, Stiles was pretty sure that all of his brain function had ceased entirely. Derek wanted to ride him. Every time that Stiles had imagined them together, he had always imagined the Alpha as the one that was doing the fucking. Maybe it had been presumptuous on his part, but he had kind of assumed that Derek would top because he was a werewolf in a place of power. Though Stiles would definitely want to give bottoming a try, he had no issues with switching things up. "Yes," Stiles said without hesitation, "Hell yes. Fuck yes. All the yes. Whatever you want. If that's what you wanna do, I have no problems with that." He wanted to make Derek happy and it's not like this was any hardship for him. 

Derek nodded and jutted his hips forward again to relieve some of the tension before he rolled onto his back and pulled Stiles with him. He slid a hand behind Stiles' nape and brought him in close, sealing their mouths together in a kiss and sucking lightly on Stiles' lower lip. "I want it," he breathed out against Stiles' mouth with a nod, not even bothering to pull back but just talking against his face. "I want you inside me. I've been thinking about it a lot." He nipped at Stiles' lip and then crawled on top of him so that he was straddling Stiles' hips. "Is this okay? I don't want to make you uncomfortable," he asked, running his hands up Stiles' chest and taking the t-shirt with him so that he could pull it off. "I want you so bad, Stiles." 

Stiles was kind of extremely speechless. He lifted his arms as Derek slid his shirt over his head and he sat there kind of dumbfounded. Derek wanted him. This was something that Stiles already knew, but Derek wanted Stiles inside him and that was entirely different all together. With a sudden frenzy, Stiles leaned back down and slammed their lips together violently, deepening the kiss immediately. "Fuck yes," Stiles murmured against Derek's lips, kissing him again before continuing, "Completely okay. No discomfort. Proceed without caution." His hands slid into Derek's hair and he positively attacked the werewolf's mouth, rolling his hips down from where he was currently seated on top of Derek. This was something he could totally get behind. He was all for any kind of sex and getting to lose his conventional virginity with Derek was something that he was very okay with. 

Derek relaxed when Stiles promised him that it was okay and he couldn't hear a skip in his heartbeat to indicate a lie. Which meant that Stiles was really okay with it and not just trying to make Derek feel better. Which did actually make Derek feel better in a roundabout way. He pressed up into the kiss and gripped at Stiles' hips, rolling his hips up against Stiles' so that he could feel their erections pressing and rubbing together. It was the best kind of torture. He groaned loudly and ran his hands back up Stiles' chest again, leaning up to lick and mouth at one of his nipples. "Too many clothes," he protested, rolling them so that Stiles was on his back and Derek was above him. Derek pulled off his own sleep shirt to toss aside and then the hooked his fingers under Stiles' boxers again, looking up at him for permission. "May I remove these?" he asked breathlessly and the question was genuine. There was no doubt in Derek's mind that if Stiles said no, he couldn't remove them, then Derek would back off and respect his wishes, cool down. He might have to go in the bathroom to... relieve himself of some tension. But he wouldn't pressure Stiles into anything. The choice was entirely his own. 

So much for actually sleeping tonight. Of course, this was so much better. Stiles moaned as Derek rolled them against each other, gasping when he felt a tongue against his nipple. Between one second and the next, Stiles was on his back, not that he minded at all. He watched Derek's shirt disappear greedily, wanting to run his hands across the werewolf's firm torso. He lifted his hips slightly when Derek's fingers dipped under his waistband, but then the older man stopped to ask for permission. It gave Stiles pause for a brief moment. He could appreciate that Derek was big on consent, but at the same time, people didn't usually stop in the middle of the hanky panky to ask about the next step. As far as he understood it, once the initial consensual 'Yes' was given, things continued until someone said a clear 'No' later on. The fact that Derek was so intent on asking every step of the way made Stiles think that maybe something had happened to him where he hadn't been comfortable and hadn't had the courage to speak up. Or maybe Stiles was overthinking. Either way, now was not the time. "Take 'em off, take 'em off, take 'em off," Stiles said quickly as he nodded, lifting his hips even higher so that Derek could slide them off. 

Derek smiled at Stiles in relief but there was something a little animal in his eyes, hungry for Stiles but not to eat him. Well, there could be arguments for that. Derek definitely did want to eat Stiles up but not in a cannibalistic way at all. He nodded and slowly he pulled Stiles' boxer briefs down his thighs until his cock came free, laying against his belly. The head was read and the shaft looked vein-y. Stiles was uncircumcised too which really shouldn't have surprised Stiles but he supposed that being on the run for most of his life didn't exactly give him time for a truly unnecessary operation. God, Stiles was beautiful though. Derek would never get tired of looking at him. Stiles' boxers were tossed over the side of the bed and Derek ran his hands down Stiles' hips and thighs, just looking at him. He leaned down to kiss the jut of Stiles' hip bone tenderly, peppering kisses down his thigh and gently spreading them. He pressed his nose to the base of Stiles' cock right by his balls and breathed in the clean smell of soap and Stiles' skin, still clean from their shower earlier. Derek licked at the seam of his groin and then finally mouthed at the head of Stiles' cock to clean off the precome and taste Stiles on his tongue. 

Stiles groaned when the cool air of the room hit his cock and he thrust up slightly at nothing, searching for some kind of relief. He slid his legs up so that Derek could get rid of his boxers faster. He wanted to get this show on the road. But then, Derek was just kind of staring at him and Stiles was blushing, almost wanting to cover himself in self-consciousness. He still wasn’t quite used to the idea that Derek really thought he was attractive and he definitely wasn’t used to people staring at him while he was naked. Stiles arched into Derek’s hands, reveling in the touch. Then Derek’s mouth was around the head of his cock and Stiles let out a surprised cry. He managed to keep his hips still, intent on letting Derek do whatever he wanted. “Fair warning,” Stiles panted out, “If you wanted to get to the actual sex bit tonight, I wouldn’t spend too much time doing what you’re going there.” His body could only handle so much and he knew for a fact that once he was inside Derek, he wasn’t going to last long at all. Honestly, Stiles would probably be lucky if he even lasted two seconds. So, part of him didn’t want to jeopardize any time that could be spent having sex with Derek, but another part didn’t really care about that, as long as everybody got to have an orgasm. 

Derek ignored Stiles' warning and sucked him down slowly to the base until his nose was pressed against the dark curls around Stiles' cock. He pulled back up, hollowing out his cheeks before removing his mouth completely and looking at Stiles as he circled his fingers around him. "I want to make you come this way. Release the tension first and then when I get you hard again you'll last longer inside of me," he said, telling Stiles his plan and looking at him through his lashes as he slowly started to jerk Stiles with his hand. "Is that okay with you?" He ducked back down to mouth at the head, circling his tongue and pressing up at the sensitive underside of the head that had made Stiles gasp before. Derek wanted Stiles to fuck up into his mouth at some point but for now he was content with slowly breaking Stiles apart before he put him back together again. He wanted this to last for a while, take their time making love. Because that's what this was. It wasn't just some quick fuck with a random person. It was sex with Stiles and every touch was meaningful and every gaze or kiss they shared was full of emotion, full of love and desire. Derek had never had that before and it filled his chest with unparalleled happiness. He would gladly spend the next workday sleepy if it meant that he got to share this with Stiles. 

Another loud moan tumbled from Stiles’ lips when Derek took his entire cock into his mouth. It was kind of one of the most amazing sensations of his life and he needed to concentrate extremely hard on not coming right then. Before he could stop it, a whine passed his lips as Derek pulled off, using his hand instead as he spoke. Is that okay with him? Stiles was partially confused that Derek even needed to ask a question like that, because that certainly sounded like a good plan to Stiles. A genius plan really. He could definitely work with that. Although, he still wasn’t sure he would last very long. “Very okay,” he panted out, “Every single okay in the world.” He moaned again, hands gripping the bedspread tightly as his jaw went slack. This was almost painfully slow and intimate, but at the same time, Stiles didn’t want it any other way. This was all about him and Derek and what they were to each other. This wasn’t just the two of them having sex together, this was the two of them making love to each other. One of Stiles’ hands went down to tangle in Derek’s hair, not pushing or pulling, just something to give them another point of contact. “Fuck, Derek,” Stiles groaned as he continued, his hips giving a slight twitch before settling down again. This possibly wasn’t going to continue for much longer. 

Derek smiled and gave another slow pull on Stiles' cock before leaning down again. Just before he got his mouth around him again he looked up at Stiles through his lashes. "I want you to come in my mouth. So don't hold back okay?" he said, rubbing Stiles' thigh with his free hand before lowering his mouth back to Stiles' cock. The taste was addicting and Stiles' cock was heavy on his tongue, cloying and delicious. He wondered why he'd not gone down on Stiles before because he really loved what he was doing to Stiles right that moment. The noises Stiles was making were incredible and Derek thought he never wanted to listen to anything also. Though they were also going straight to his dick and he knew that listening to them all the time would be very impractical because he'd just be sporting a constant boner and annoying other werewolves with the scent of his arousal. He sucked Stiles down to the base after taking his hand away and moving his fingers to massage and fondle his balls instead. He knew Stiles wouldn't last very long but that was okay with him because he probably wouldn't last very long either once he got Stiles' dick inside of him. He couldn't wait to be filled up by Stiles, to let Stiles come inside him and claim him. It was the biggest show of trust Derek could give him, allowing Stiles that power over him, to have him at his most vulnerable and trusting that Stiles wouldn't abuse that privilege. But he knew Stiles loved him and that was enough for Derek.

Honestly, it was like Derek was either reading Stiles’ mind or he had googled the top ten things to do and say while doing the do with a teenage boy. Stiles had literally never felt this turned on in his life, both because of what was happening and because of what he knew was going to come. For now, he just focused on the feeling of Derek’s mouth around his cock. The werewolf had told him not to hold back, but Stiles wasn’t sure exactly what that meant. Did Derek mean movements or sounds? Stiles was already having no problem with the latter. Every noise that Derek drew out of him was released without shame. He would be more worried if the room wasn’t sound proofed, but since it was he wanted Derek to know just how much he was affecting him. His hips would twitch up every now and then, unable to help himself for a moment, but he always made sure that Derek was okay with a quick glance down. For the most part, his eyes were slammed shut so that there was nothing but the feeling of Derek’s hot mouth around his cock in his mind. When he felt a hand go down to fondle his balls, he knew this was going to be over in a matter of seconds. “Derek I-“ was all Stiles had a chance to say before he was coming hard with a shout, his entire body tensing up and then relaxing all at once when he was finished. “Holy fuck,” Stiles panted, eyes still shut, “You’re amazing.”

Derek filed away the information that Stiles loved his balls fondled because it seemed to be the last straw on the camel's back that had him coming on Derek's tongue and spilling down his throat. Derek moaned softly around Stiles' cock as he took what he was given and swallowed it down greedily. It was bitter and a bit salty on his tongue but it was also one hundred percent Stiles and that's what Derek was concerned with. He pulled off and then licked his lips before he went about mouthing at Stiles' softening cock that twitched here or there like it was trying to get hard again but just couldn't. When Derek was finished cleaning Stiles up with his mouth he slowly kissed his way back up Stiles' body, mouthing at his belly button and tracing his tongue in the soft valleys and peaks of his abdominal muscles. Eventually he nipped at Stiles' collarbone and made it up his neck, hovering over his mouth. Derek looked down at him, uncertain if Stiles would want to kiss him after he had his mouth on Stiles' cock. Maybe Stiles would think that was weird. So he pressed their foreheads together gently and sighed. "I love you," he mumbled softly so that only Stiles could hear it, even if it was soundproofed to keep Kenna from staying up all night. 

Stiles was boneless on the bed as Derek mouthed at him. His cock gave a painful twitch or two, but it was really too soon for him to go again. He would need more than a few seconds. He tried to get his breathing under control as Derek made his way up his body. It was ridiculously sexy and then he was just right there with his gorgeous face. Stiles slid a hand into Derek’s hair, a soft smile on his face. “I love you too,” he murmured before leaning up to press their lips together. It was a little weird, being able to taste his own release on Derek’s lips, but he would feel like an asshole if he couldn’t kiss Derek after he’d just gone down on him. Besides, kissing Derek was one of his favorite things to do. Stiles maneuvered them so that they were both laying on their sides as they kissed each other slowly and softly, like they had all the time in the world. To Stiles, it felt amazing to be able to do something like that with someone. He continued on for a few minutes, not wanting to pull away until finally he knew that he had to. They could be doing more productive things. “Would be alright if we… got you ready while we wait for me to… be ready again?” Stiles asked quietly, not bothering to move away from Derek’s face. He wanted to stay as close as possible. He also wanted to give Derek the pleasure that Derek had just given him. 

Derek kissed Stiles back with some relief, glad that he didn't think it was gross after Derek went down on him. Because Derek really enjoyed kissing Stiles and he would have gotten up to brush his teeth if he needed to so that Stiles would kiss him. He was glad he didn't have to get up though but he would have done it. His heart fluttered in his chest when Stiles said he loved him too. He was more than happy to let himself be maneuvered onto his side, arm sliding around Stiles' waist as he returned every slow and languid kiss. He was still ridiculously hard but he could ignore it until Stiles was ready for another round. He was more than content just to kiss him. When Stiles pulled back to ask Derek if they could prep him until Stiles was ready. Derek made a small noise in the back of his head and nodded, kissing Stiles' mouth again. "Yea, we can- we can definitely do that," he breathed out, pulling away from Stiles reluctantly to roll over and open his bedside table. He dug around in it until he came back with a mostly full bottle of lube, laying on his back and handing it to Stiles. "You want to do it or you want me to?" he asked, biting the inside of his lower lip as he watched the younger man. He really wanted to feel those long fingers pressing inside him and driving him crazy. 

Stiles almost regretted asking when it meant that Derek had to move away from him, even for a second. A bottle of lube that was almost full was handed to him and Stiles found himself wondering how often Derek actually did this. Often enough to buy a lot of fresh lube or rarely enough that this bottle was still almost full. Either way, now wasn’t the time to ask. “I want to do it,” Stiles said resolutely. Derek had just given him the blowjob of his life and Stiles wanted to return the favor. Besides, he wanted to learn about Derek’s sweet spots and what made him writhe. Plus, the sooner Stiles started doing it, the sooner he could get better at it. He had a feeling that they would probably switch positions often enough for the both of them to need to be brushed up on everything. Stiles leaned over where Derek was on his back and kissed him again, unable to keep himself from doing so. “How do you… What position do you want to be in for this?” Stiles asked after a moment. He didn’t want to start unless Derek was completely comfortable. He felt kind of bad that the werewolf still hadn’t come once and Stiles was going to end up coming twice, but Stiles could make up for that later. He popped open the lube and squirted some of it on his fingers so that he could warm it up a bit, waiting for Derek to tell him he was okay to go. 

Derek kissed Stiles back eagerly and made a soft whining sound when Stiles pulled away. He did consider the question however and then reached for one of the many extra pillows, picking up his hips to slide underneath himself. "Like this," he decided with a nod, looking at Stiles with wide eyes. "I want to be able to look at you." He brushed his fingers over Stiles' jaw and then pulled his knees up and spread his thighs, laying himself bare for Stiles. His expression and pose were all vulnerable and he was giving himself up. He hoped that Stiles realized how monumental it was for him to give that up. No werewolf ever did that easily and even less easily for an alpha. If this had been anyone else, he would be covering up and protecting himself against whoever it was. His instincts would kick in and he would pose defensively so he wouldn't get hurt. But as it was, his instincts were quiet because they recognized Stiles as the other part of himself and he knew that Stiles wouldn't hurt him. Stiles loved him and they both wanted this. 

Stiles stared at Derek with wide eyes, who was more or less presenting himself for Stiles. It was probably the hottest thing that Stiles had ever seen in his life. "Fucking gorgeous," Stiles muttered as he leaned forward to kiss Derek again. He continued to kiss the werewolf as his slick fingers rubbed at his hole a bit teasingly, spreading the lube. Stiles wanted this to be as painless as possible for Derek. A moment later, he was sliding one finger inside of Derek, groaning a bit at the tightness and the heat. Even though he already came once, Stiles knew that he wouldn't last too long in there at all. He began to move his finger slowly in and out, stretching Derek as much as one finger could. He kissed at the werewolf's jaw, at his neck, waiting for some kind of signal to tell him that Derek was ready for more. He didn't want to rush this and he knew that patience was key if he wanted Derek to be comfortable. "Fuck, Derek," Stiles murmured against his skin, "So tight. Fucking beautiful. Never seen something more beautiful. I love you so much."

Derek moaned when he felt Stiles' finger massaging around his entrance and he relaxed, breathing in deeply and staring up at Stiles. He wanted to be able to see him while they were doing this, to look at him and know that this wasn't just a quick fuck. It was love. He gasped aloud when he felt Stiles' finger breach and he tensed for a long moment before taking another deep breath and forcing himself to relax, allowing Stiles to push in the rest of the way. He arched and moaned and tried to let Stiles control the pace but he was so desperate for it and he pushed against Stiles' finger, begging silently for more. He pulled Stiles to him and slid their mouths together in a deliciously wet kiss, panting against his mouth but not putting any space between them. "Another," he breathed out with a nod, rolling his hips and reveling in the delicious way it felt to have even just a part of Stiles inside him. He couldn't wait for that gorgeous cock to buried inside him, stretching him open like he was made just to fit Stiles' body. 

This was without a doubt the most intense sexual situation that Stiles had ever been in. He was about to have sex with someone, and not just anyone. He was going to have sex with Derek, with the person who held half of his own soul inside them. He kissed Derek back eagerly, swallowing the noises he was making. Every movement he made, Stiles could feel it and he could barely even imagine what it was going to feel like to have his cock inside of Derek’s amazing body. He wasn’t quite there yet, but he could practically feel his body trying to get his motors up and running again. Stiles added another finger when Derek said that he was ready and groaned into the kiss that he had restarted. Derek felt so good around his fingers. He began scissoring his fingers a bit as he pulled out, stretching Derek out even more before sliding them further in, searching for the sweet spot that would make Derek moan. “Look so good like this,” Stiles mumbled into the kiss, unable to stop himself from speaking, “So gorgeous, baby. Love you so much.” He wasn’t even entirely sure of what he was actually saying and what he was only thinking, but Stiles didn’t really care at this point. 

Derek whimpered softly when he felt Stiles slide another finger inside of him and he clenched reflexively before relaxing. A litany of noises escaped his mouth, tearing out of his chest from his very core. He'd never felt anything like the bright sparks of pleasure and happiness that shot down his spine and spread throughout his body to the tips of his fingers to the bottom of his toes. He swore he could feel it in his hair too. Then there was the whole other kind of pleasure of listening to Stiles speaking filthy words to him. Stiles made them sound beautiful and Derek groaned, rocking his hips against Stiles' hand. "Yea, Stiles, feels- ah, so fucking good. Don't stop, please don't stop," he begged, reaching blindly until he found Stiles' free hand and laced their fingers, squeezing his hand tightly. "Love you so much, Stiles. Yea, baby, come on. Another."

They were getting closer to the moment of truth and Stiles could finally feel himself getting turned on again. He had been worried for a little bit there that it wouldn’t happen, but he felt that familiar heat in the base of his stomach as he slid a third finger into Derek. It was something to behold. Derek, an Alpha werewolf that had killed for Stiles was now spread out beneath him, rocking down onto his fingers like it was the only thing he was meant to do in this universe. It was kind of heady. Stiles squeezed Derek’s hand, ready to give him whatever he needed to feel comfortable even if it meant Stiles was holding himself up a little awkwardly now. He didn’t care. Looking at how much pleasure Derek was experiencing was worth it. Stiles had never seen anything more beautiful than Derek rocking onto Stiles’ fingers, a look of pure bliss on his face. “You’re amazing,” Stiles murmured, pressing quick kisses to the werewolf’s skin, “Can’t wait to get my cock inside you. Gonna make you feel so good.”

Derek's eyes flashed red when he felt the third finger press inside of him but he blinked and it was gone again. He let out a soft little whimper that almost resembled a howl and he rocked his hips down against Stiles' fingers. "Stiles," he gasped out, gripping at Stiles' sides and groaning. He leaned up to kiss him and he could feel the desperate need deep in his belly for Stiles' cock. "Stiles, please. 'm ready. Please, I need you," he begged, looking up at Stiles with big desperate eyes, curling his arm around Stiles' waist and rocking his hips up. "I wanna- wanna ride you. C'mon. Please. Baby." 

Hearing Derek beg for him so desperately was sort of one of the best things that Stiles had ever heard in his life. “Fuck Derek,” he groaned, “Of course. Yeah, if you’re sure that you’re ready, yeah let’s go.” He smashed his lips against Derek’s, desperate to touch him anywhere and everywhere. Stiles managed to get the lube opened with his free hand and he messily squirted some out so that he could coat his now hard cock. He marveled for a second at the fact that he hadn’t even needed to touch himself to get hard again. Just the sight of Derek had been enough. When he was sure that there was enough there for Derek to be comfortable, Stiles slowly pulled his fingers out of Derek before he rolled over to lay on his back, tugging Derek to get on top of him. 

Derek whimpered when Stiles removed his fingers but he scrambled on top of him quickly, pressing up against him as he leaned in close to kiss him, letting all his desperation and ferocity bleed through into it. He looked over his shoulder to see how Stiles was slicking himself up and Derek groaned loudly, pushing back so that he could feel Stiles' knuckles brush his ass with each pass of his hand. Derek eventually reached back and nudged Stiles' hand aside, replacing it with his own at the base. He lifted his hips and positioned Stiles at his entrance, panting. He looked back at Stiles, meeting his gaze as he slowly pushed down, crying out when he felt the head of Stiles' cock push past the ring of muscle and stretch him out. "Fuck, fuck, so good," he breathed out, a low, pleased rumble building in his chest like a brontide. "I love you so much."

Stiles was pretty sure that he had died and gone to Heaven. The hottest person that he had ever seen in his entire life was currently sliding down onto his dick. His eyes were blown wide with lust as he stared at Derek, gripping his thighs tightly. “Oh god, oh god, oh god,” Stiles babbled, his head thrown back as his cock was enveloped in the tight heat. He took a moment to breathe before his grip on Derek loosened slightly and he looked up at the werewolf, completely blown away. “Look at you,” he murmured, rubbing small circles against Derek’s skin with his thumbs, “Sitting on my cock like you were meant to. Fuck Derek, you look gorgeous like this. I love you.” He wanted to move but he wanted to wait until Derek said it was okay. He also wasn’t completely sure that he could move. Derek was actually pretty heavy, considering he was mostly muscle, and Stiles probably couldn’t do much more than just small jerks of his hips up into Derek. 

Derek groaned as he bottomed out, sitting firmly in Stiles' lap. He rolled his hips experimentally and whimpered in surprise at how amazing it felt. He leaned forward to kiss Stiles firmly on the mouth, rocking against him but not properly thrusting yet as he got used to the way Stiles felt inside him. "I love you, Stiles," he gasped, mouthing at his neck. "Love you so much. I was made for you. Just you. I'm yours." He slid an arm under Stiles' back around his waist to keep him close and then he lifted his hips so that Stiles slowly slid out of him. A second later Derek dropped down again quickly and gasped aloud, heart stuttering and lashes fluttering against his cheeks. "Damn, Stiles. Fuck. Yea. So good. Perfect. Feel perfect inside me." 

Stiles could die right now and be happy for the rest of his non-existent life. Even the small, barely-there movements that Derek made while they kissed felt amazing. But then Derek actually moved and Stiles felt the drag of his own cock moving inside of Derek and he gasped in time with Derek. He watched as dark lashes flutter against high cheekbones and Stiles could swear that he had never seen anything more beautiful. Finally, Stiles just couldn’t help himself. He grabbed Derek’s hips and held them in place. Slowly, he pushed his hips down into the bed so that his cock slid out of Derek before he snapped them back up, pushing himself back into Derek gentle and slow. He wanted to show the older man that this meant something to him, that he cared. He continued with his slow and gentle pace, his hands caressing Derek anywhere they could reach. He couldn’t help but think that they weren’t fucking. No, this wasn’t fucking. As cheesy as it was, the only way to describe this was making love. 

Derek was more than happy to let Stiles control the pace, to let Stiles move his hips up into Derek. All at once all Derek wanted to do was give his power over to Stiles and let him have control over everything. Derek wanted Stiles to have him wholly and completely. He slid both of his arms around Stiles' waist behind his back, stilling their movements briefly and then rolling them so that Stiles was on top of him. He blinked up at Stiles with big round eyes, reaching up to caress his face tenderly before leaning up for a kiss. "I'm yours," he mumbled softly as he settled back up against the pillows and rolled his hips once slowly. "All yours. Whatever you want. You have me." He slid both of his hands down Stiles' sides, just caressing his soft skin and holding him close. Stiles was the only thing Derek ever wanted to have and he had him. Derek was wholly Stiles' and ruined for anyone else because no one else would be Stiles. It was terrifying to know that his happiness was so tightly tied to this soft human boy but Derek also knew that Stiles was far from fragile. He was tough and fierce and he didn't take shit from anyone. Derek loved him for that. 

Stiles was taken by surprise for a moment when Derek flipped them over. He had thought that the whole reason they were kind of doing it was because Derek had wanted to ride him. Well that and the whole being in love with each other bit. Still, Stiles was flexible and he didn’t really care what position they had sex in. All that mattered was that Derek was happy and comfortable. He kissed the werewolf back softly, smiling into it as he pressed their foreheads together. “And I’m yours,” he said simply. Stiles began to push into Derek again, keeping with his slow and sensual pace. He wanted to treasure this, enjoy every moment. Stiles kissed every piece of skin that he could reach, his hands running over Derek softly, gently. He wanted this to be memorable. He wanted it to be like something that Derek had never had with anything else. Considering that this was Stiles first ever experience with sex, he didn’t exactly have a lot to compare it to, but Derek was different. Stiles wanted to make sure that he knew that he was loved like no one else when he was with Stiles. Derek was beyond important to him. Stiles kissed Derek languidly, not feeling any reason to rush. There would be times when they would fuck, but this wasn’t one of those times. Stiles reached down and took hold of Derek’s cock as he began to stroke him leisurely, slowly bringing him to the edge. 

Derek slid a hand behind Stiles' neck as Stiles kissed him back and then rested their foreheads together. He took a moment just to breathe and center himself as Stiles started to move inside of him. It felt amazing. It had burned a little at first because Derek had never had anything but a dildo in his ass, never trusting anyone else to do this with him. Just Stiles. And Stiles was a bit bigger than the dildo he'd had. He felt fucking amazing, burying himself over and over inside of Derek and making him see stars. Derek kept his fingers in Stiles' hair as Stiles kissed along his body. Derek arched into everything he was given, just enjoying being loved so thoroughly by Stiles. He could feel it and smell it in the room, surrounding them like a cloud that smelled like peaches and roses and sunshine. It felt amazing and if Derek were to die, he would die the happiest he'd ever been. But he didn't want to die because that meant he'd be away from Stiles. He clung to Stiles tightly and then jerked into his hand when he felt fingers curling around his cock, bringing him closer to the edge. He gasped and groaned, digging blunt human nails into Stiles' hips just to anchor himself. "Fuck, Stiles, al-almost there, don't stop," he begged, keening every time Stiles' cock brushed against his prostate and he thumbed over the head of Derek's cock. 

Derek was letting out the most beautiful sounds and Stiles wasn’t even sure how he was still alive at this point. He should have died from overload of amazing and sexy. He kept with his pace for the most part, until Derek told him that he was getting close. Stiles didn’t speed up, per say, but he put more force behind each thrust, sending him deeper into Derek and pressing more firmly against the man’s prostate. He sped up ever so slightly on Derek’s cock, knowing that it was possibly hard for him to get off with only this. Or maybe it wasn’t. They would have to experiment with that kind of stuff some day. The thought made Stiles groan and he pressed his face into the crook of Derek’s neck, kissing and nibbling at the skin there. “I love you,” he murmured, “I love you so much.” Stiles didn’t know why but this struck him as so important. The words ‘consummated our bond in the eyes of fate’ flashed through Stiles’ head and he recognized them from the journal entry in Derek’s family book. That’s what they were doing. They were showing each other and whatever forces were out there that they were meant to be together. 

"I love you, too. I love you so much," Derek repeated, gasping and then pushing Stiles' hand from his cock. "Too much," he groaned, rocking up into every one of Stiles' thrusts. He gasped loudly and then his back arched up off the bed as Stiles hit his prostate perfectly and his orgasm crested, falling over him. He cried out Stiles' name loudly as he came between them, spurting out over his own belly and getting a bit on Stiles' as well. He clutched and grasped at Stiles' back desperately, pulling him in for a heated kiss. "C'mon, Stiles," he groaned against Stiles' lips. "Come for me. Want you to come inside me. Make me yours so everyone will know I belong to you," he begged, biting at Stiles' lower lip as he continued to rock his hips up against Stiles' despite how spent he felt. He wanted Stiles to finish and feel amazing. He wanted everyone to know to whom he belonged. No werewolf would dare to touch Stiles now. Not when he had claimed an alpha. Most alphas didn't even let their beta-mates fuck them. It wasn't unheard of but it certainly wasn't common for alphas to give up that power to a beta but it was extremely rare to hear of an alpha giving that to a human. But Derek had never been meant to be an alpha. He was meant to be a beta and giving himself up to Stiles was basic instinct but even more than that it was his own desire to give himself away. 

A few times during this whole encounter, Stiles had been positive that he had reached the moment when Derek was at his most beautiful. Each time something came along and proved him wrong, but Stiles knew that he was right this time. Watching Derek have an orgasm from having Stiles’ cock inside him, that was without a doubt the most beautiful thing Stiles had ever seen and would ever see for the rest of his life. He could feel that he wasn’t far behind and then Derek pulled him into that kiss and started talking to him with that fucked-out voice. Stiles lost it. He pushed hard into Derek one last time before he came inside the werewolf, groaning Derek’s name as he did. He sort of collapsed on Derek moments later, unable to hold himself up anymore. He knew that he should probably pull out and that it probably wasn’t comfortable for Derek to have a softening cock inside of him, but Stiles just felt so boneless he wasn’t sure if he would ever move again. “Are they really gonna know?” he mumbled moments later. Rather than waiting for Derek to ask whom, Stiles just trucked right on. “I mean, they’re going to be able to tell we had sex, obviously, I mean even humans can smell sex, but are they really gonna be able to tell who was in what position? That’s vaguely creepy and yet vaguely impressive. You know what? I don’t even care. I love you.” A sort of daze was settling over Stiles and he supposed that it was the afterglow he was enjoying. 

Derek groaned and gasped when Stiles came inside of him. He couldn't feel it per se but he could tell how Stiles tensed up and shuddered. He got his arms around Stiles and just held onto him tightly, burying his face against Stiles' shoulder and tightening his legs around Stiles' hips. After a moment Derek let go of his legs and gently maneuvered Stiles to slip out of him with a soft whimper at the loss, but he left Stiles laying against him, unwilling to move away from him yet. He nosed behind Stiles' ear and then shrugged a little bit. He loved the way Stiles' voice came out low and slow and blissful. "If you're with me or if they know your scent they'll know it was you. They'll know I'm yours and you're mine. They wouldn't dare try and touch or harm you," he answered honestly, kissing along Stiles' neck lazily. "You'd be dangerous to them. A human who claimed an alpha? It's practically unheard of. They'll respect you." He pulled back gently and tipped Stiles' head so that he could lock their mouths together in a sweet kiss. "Every time I kiss you, I swear I can taste the next eighty years," he mumbled against Stiles' lips. 

"Eighty years is a long time," Stiles mumbled against Derek's lips. He was quickly becoming tired and it showed in his slightly slurred speech and his sluggish movements. "That means lots of sex. I bet you're gonna be sexy even when you're a shriveled up prune," Stiles went on, snuggling against Derek's warm body. Part of him still couldn't quite believe that they had really just had sex. It was kind of one of those things that is hard to wrap your head around. All Stiles knew for sure was that they would definitely have to do more of that. Like probably everyday. Maybe twice a day. As many times as possible until he died really. "I love you," Stiles muttered. It was one of the last things that he could remember saying before he fell asleep just like that. He was dead tired and even though part of him wanted to enjoy the afterglow with Derek, his body didn't really seem to care. Maybe they could enjoy the afterglow in the morning. Maybe they could have more sex in the morning. Stiles snored lightly, a peaceful look on his face as he slept. 

"I'm prepared to spend eighty more years with you," Derek assured Stiles as he kissed the younger man's temple. He chuckled as Stiles rambled on about sex and Derek still being sexy when he was old and wrinkled. Derek knew Stiles would always be the most attractive man to him and he would never give him up. He hoped that whatever kids they had, they could raise in a more accepting world where humans weren't forced into labor for werewolves as an inferior race. They were all important and special and capable of amazing things. "I love you too," Derek sighed quietly after Stiles even though he knew that his mate was already fast asleep by the way his breathing evened and his heart slowed just slightly. Derek listened to the sound of oxygen being drawn into and pushed back out of Stiles' lungs and Stiles' heart provided a rhythmic lullaby that had Derek falling asleep just minutes later, comfortable and happy and content.


End file.
